To make the situation even more interesting, the newer 3 Tesla (3T) magnets have an acceleration factor up to 14 times greater than than the 1.5 T magnet in this story and are thus much more dangerous when ferrous materials are present in the vicinity.
Besides the danger and fear factors contained in this story, mention was made in passing of having to turn off the magnet to remove the pistol. While this is a relatively easy process, it is also an expensive one. The last bill I received after a magnet quench (turning off the magnet) was over $140,000. Sometimes you can prevent this expense by pulling the item out of the magnet (the only such incident at a facility I worked in concerned a metal mop bucket brought into the space by a new employers who ignored the signs), took a nylon rope and 12, yes I said 12, full grown men to remove it. Superconductor magnets are not to be trifled with.
Irregardless of any other precautions put in place, the ultimate responsibility for MRI safety is the technologist working with a MRI machine. NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY should lay a hand on the door of that MRI room without the MRI technologist giving permission for that person to do so, and then only after through questioning and inspection of that persons corpus.
It is not only external materials that are potential problems. Internal parts (replacement hips, other joints, ear devices in kids, cardiac stents, brain stents, etc.) are also a potential danger to the patient during an MRI study. Orthopedic implants should be in place a minimum of 90 days before a patient has an MRI, while incomputable metallic implants in soft tissues can and will move and heat up during an MRI exam.
Folks, If you are ever unsure of what to do when getting one of these exams done, make sure you ask the technologist and share your concerns with him/her.
Be safe, be well.
I’ve never had an MRI or CAT and haven’t had any but dental X-Rays in 20 years. So MRI tech is relatively unknown to me.
I knew an MRI was dangerous in the presence of ferrous materials, but that’s about it...
If they have metal detecting equipment, then they should use it and just eat the false alerts, what’s the use of having security equipment if you ignore it?