For six-year-old Michael Colombini of Croton-on-Hudson, New York, the day began like any other. His family was unaware that the routine MRI they had scheduled for him would become the realization of every parent’s greatest nightmare.
In a horrible turn of events, Michael’s head was struck by a steel oxygen tank that was abruptly and violently pushed inside the MRI machine. Those working in the medical field are still shaken by this tragic incident from 2001.
It serves as a sobering reminder of how easily things can go south, even in settings with state-of-the-art equipment and the greatest of intentions. While on medication, Mike was in Westchester Medical Center getting checked out with an MRI after undergoing surgery to remove a non-cancerous brain tumor.
However, the medical staff had to intervene to save his life when his oxygen levels plummeted on the MRI.
Their subsequent choice proved to be a disastrous error. They brought in a steel portable oxygen tank rather of using the oxygen that should have been in the MRI room or just following the proper procedures.
The enormous magnet of the MRI pulled it like a toy as soon as they got it inside, sending it hurtling across the room at a speed of roughly thirty miles per hour. According to ABC, it struck Michael with such force that it cracked his skull and caused his death.
The hospital’s top management accepted full responsibility for the incident; at the time, CEO Edward Stolzenberg stated that it was a terrible, unfortunate error and that they would do everything in their power to help the family deal with their loss. The child’s kindergarten teacher described him as an amazing child who enjoyed having fun, and over 500 people attended his funeral.
Michael’s family reached a confidential agreement with the hospital in 2009 for $2.9 million. Although they made the decision to stop discussing it in public, the case’s specifics are still available for anybody to find.
It’s unfortunate that there is hardly little MRI safety education this year on the unlucky 20th anniversary of Michael Colombini’s awful MRI death (and the RSNA annual meeting’s categorical focus on MRI safety in 2001).
Is this session the only one?mR9uy1nZXe pic.twitter.com/2
November 30, 2021 Tobias Gilk, MRSO, MRSE, Architect, and MRI Safety (@tobiasgilk)
This horrifying experience wasn’t unique.
An hour’s drive away, in 2025, a 61-year-old man called Keith McAllister died at the hands of MRI magnets. He was simply too close to one of those robots wearing a metal necklace, which makes the narrative heartbreaking. When it happened, his wife had to phone for assistance while being scanned. Of course, to no avail.
ALSO READ: A New York Man, 61, Passes Away in a Strange MRI Mishap Like the One in the New Final Destination Movie
JUST IN: A man’s wife k*lled after he was dragged into an MRI machine while wearing a 20-POUND CHAIN BLAMES instrument.
Keith McAllister, 61, suffered significant injuries at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury after the 20-pound metal chain he was wearing pushed him into an MRI machine.
I went to https://twitter.com/OGmCIkjvDA.
Unlimited L’s July 20, 2025 (@unlimited_ls)
When it comes to diagnosis, MRI machines are vital, but let’s not fool ourselves—they can be quite intense. These magnetic fields are 30,000 times more powerful than the ones we have on Earth.
And that’s not all. If they are not managed properly, they can transform commonplace, everyday items into dangerous threats.
The experts continue to emphasize the significance of safety because of this, particularly when discussing children and those who may be particularly sensitive to these issues.
