Accident in MRI Room at Mumbai Government Hospital Kills Young Man

A young man died when he was accidentally sucked into an MRI machine at a government hospital in Mumbai.

The incident happened when the victim, Rajesh Maru, 32, helped a ward boy to carry an oxygen cylinder to the MRI room.

About Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI)
Encyclopedia section of medindia gives general info about Magnetic Resonance Imaging

‘The family cried foul and accused the doctors and the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation of gross negligence that led to his death.’

Tweet it Now

A hospital doctor and two staff, including a woman, have been booked and arrested.

Maru was working as a salesman and resided in Lalbaug, central Mumbai. Maru had gone to visit his sister's mother-in-law Laxmi Solanki, 62, who was undergoing treatment at the BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central, run by the BMC.

"A ward boy asked him to help in taking an oxygen cylinder to the MRI room -- which is strictly prohibited," said Maru's brother-in-law Harish Solanki.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Principle, Procedure, Advantages, Disadvantages
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging or fMRI is a diagnostic technique that measures the activity of the brain. fMRI is used to study the brain structure.

Accusing the hospital administration and doctors of "carelessness", Solanki said there was no security personnel to warn Maru that he should not carry the oxygen cylinder to the Medical Resonance Imaging (MRI) room.

"As soon as he stepped inside, the MRI machine literally sucked him in due to the magnetic force since he was carrying the oxygen cylinder," he added.

Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT)
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, a nuclear imaging diagnostic tool helps in accurate assessment of blood flow to organs. It scans images for diagnosis of heart disease and abnormalities.

Relatives of Solanki and the Maru community members, who hail from Gujarat and Rajasthan, staged a sit-in at Nair Hospital Dean Dr Ramesh Bharmal's chamber.

The MRI is a sophisticated test that uses powerful magnets, radio waves, and with the aid of a computer, shows detailed pictures of the internal organs of a patient's body.

FDA Approves First Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Device for Neonates
The Embrace Neonatal MRI System is the first magnetic resonance imaging device cleared by the FDA for use on neonates.

However, unlike the traditional X-rays or CT scans, an MRI doesn't use radiation.

The BYL Nair Hospital and T.N. Medical College, located in Mumbai Central, is amongst the premier medical institutions of Mumbai run by the BMC.

A case was registered at the Agripada Police Station under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against three persons, including a doctor, for various offenses, including Dr Siddharth Shah, ward boy Vitthal Chavan and female ward attendant Sunita Surve.

"Investigations are in progress," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Deepak Deoraj, the Mumbai Police Spokesperson. Maru's body was taken to the government-run Sir JJ Hospital for an autopsy.

Closed-circuit television footage of the incident and other details were handed over to police by hospital authorities.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to Maru's family.

"I spoke to the CM who announced the compensation from CM's Relief Fund," local BJP MLA M.P. Lodha said.

The grieving family and community members plan to meet Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta.

Source-IANS