Posted on 07/11/2008 4:23:55 AM PDT by marktwain
An incident recently occurred at an outpatient imaging center in western New York State, in which a firearm spontaneously discharged in a 1.5-T MR imaging environment with active shielding. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of such an occurrence.
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An off-duty police officer went to an outpatient imaging center (not affiliated with our institution) in western New York State to have an MR imaging examination. The facility housed a 1.5-T MR unit (Signa; General Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) with active shielding. The officer was carrying a model 1991 A-1 compact.45 caliber semiautomatic pistol (Colt's Manufacturing, Hartford, CT).
The officer notified the technologist that he was carrying the weapon before entering the MR dressing room. The technologist told the officer to take the gun with him. The technologist intended to meet the officer in the MR patient waiting area before the examination and secure the weapon in that room, where he felt it would be safe. However, the officer apparently misunderstood and took the gun into the MR suite. The technologist was entering the officer's personal data into the computer and did not see him entering the MR suite.
Once the officer was inside the MR suite, the gun was pulled from his hand as he attempted to place the gun on top of a cabinet 3 ft (0.9 m) away from the magnet bore. The gun was immediately pulled into the bore, where it struck the left side and spontaneously discharged a round into the wall of the room at the rear of the magnet. Fortunately, no one was injured.
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The weapon's thumb safety was reportedly engaged when the gun discharged.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajronline.org ...
I’m walking around with two Sirolimus-eluting coronary stents manufactured by Cordis. Great product. “Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’!” Ahem...definately check with the manufacturer and your heart doc to make sure. Mine says it’s safe around MRI units with a mag strength of 3 Tesla or less, but I’m not going near the infernal thing without first checking with my doc. Don’t want the stents to do a replay of the clawing alien chest-burst scene.
IIRC the Singers are the most valuable vintage 1911s around. I don’t know much about 1911s (just don’t work for me - tried a Kimber and it just didnt fit), but I think that there were only about 500 Singers made.
[FR thread] Moms, kids find officer's loaded gun in South Austin park
One gun is nice, but I like carrying the "right tool for the job" and not all jobs are equal.
Another example of the ongoing degradation of English language skills by our so-called educational system. The correct term for someone who operates technical equipment is "technician". Sheesh...
Yes we do.
He does not use that one for day to day carry.
“My fathers 1940’s vintage 1911 was made by the Singer sewing machine company.”
That thing is probably worth a fortune. The Singers are the most rare as I understand. I seen one listed in SGN that went for over $80,000 at auction.
I am carrying a fair amount of steel in my lower body (ex-motorcycle road racer).
I have had several MRIs with the steel in place.
The technicians take great care to make sure NOT to do the MRI on the actual body part with the steel in it (i.e. I go in head first and they do not let my legs actually go into the machine). But, I THINK the fact that everything is stainless steel (non-magnetic) provides a fair level of protection.
IN any case, I have never had a plate or screw come flying out through my flesh.
It still sounds like the cop was not listening to the technologist. He screwed up.
I think you should crawl back into your hole. How could the officer have known?
I was going to mouth off, but had the good sense to check my MKIV Stainless with a magnet first!
Hmm. Must be Type 400.
What are the Glock barrells made of?
Good one. Because when I take the "Hardware Store" to the range, I have to stop and think and remember each one's peculiarities.
It's crap, but makes them feel better, and I understand where they are coming from.
“A 1911 should not fire unless the thumb safety is off and the grip safety depressed prior to squeezing the trigger. Unless the MRI unit released these safeties, or the gun was in an unsafe condition; either worn parts or kept unlocked with the hammer down on a chambered round, or a combination of both, I don’t see how this could happen.”
If you read the article it explains that the inertial firing pin block was moved out of position by the magnetic field and the impact of the pistol hitting the magnet caused the he firing pin to hit the primer. Firing during drop tests with the muzzle down was why they started using the inertial pin block in the series 80 colt 1911s.
LOL, I am the same way. The gun I use the most in my Walther P99, but when I go shooting I take everything, and have to think about where the safeties are and such.
I liken it to going to the gas station in one of my cars, I have to think which side the filler is on...
I had two MRI’s, one on my stomach and one on my brain, with a surgical steel earring in place because it was the captive-bead style and neither I nor the nurse could figure out how to remove it, and she eventually asked me what it was made of and said that if it was surgical steel it shouldn’t be an issue, and surprisingly enough, it wasn’t. I did make sure to wear stuff like sweatpants and slip-on tennis shoes, though.
Try switching form the Colt MKIV to the Mitchell P-08 Luger to the S&W wheelguns to the High Standard to the PPK. It's like taking an exam. THEN there is picking up and separating all the brass...
That's why I have been carrying lighter range cases in recent years, sticking to one caliber a day.
I notice I hit less on the days I bring many of them.
Perhaps you should contact the American Society of Radiologic Technologists or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists about the improper use of the word "technologists".
it will also erase the magnetic strip on your credit cards and drivers license
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