A shocking incident occurred on January 16 at the Laboratorio Cura in São Paulo, Brazil. Attorney Leandro Mathias de Novaes was accompanying his mother to a hospital visit when the day suddenly took a deadly turn.
Leandro brought a concealed gun with him into the MRI room despite the warnings to leave all metal objects outside of the room. Due to the force of the magnet, his gun dislodged from his waistband and fired, hitting him in the stomach. Mathias was taken to São Luiz Morumbi Hospital, however, he died three weeks later on February 6.
The MRI center released a statement indicating that their accident prevention protocols had been followed. They also said that Mathias and his mother had been instructed to remove any metal objects before entering the examination room and that they had both signed an acknowledgment term regarding this guidance. However, the MRI center also noted that the gun had not been mentioned by his mother either.
According to CNN Brasil, the report translated via Google said, “We reinforce that all accident prevention protocols were followed by the CURA team, as is customary in all units,” a representative of the MRI clinic said in a statement.
“Both the patient and the companion were properly instructed regarding the procedures for accessing the examination room and warned about the removal of any and all metallic objects,” the representative said. “Both signed an acknowledgment term regarding this guidance.”
Although rare, this type of incident has happened before. In 2018, Frank Chester of Williston Park, New York, was shot in the legs by his own gun when he went for an MRI at a Lynbrook center. The bullet wounded Chester in both thighs and he was charged with reckless endangerment.
There was also an incident in 2000, where an off-duty police officer’s gun was discharged even when the safety was engaged after he brought it into the MRI room.
The American Journal of Roentgenology noted that this incident had important implications. It showed that the weapon posed a risk for discharging in an MR imaging environment even with the thumb safety engaged. As a result, it suggested warnings should be made about carrying metal.
