MRI projectile incident likely to result in a 'seven-figure sum' repair bill for hospital

News of an incident in Finland is a stark reminder that healthcare workers and patients aren’t the only ones who need to be aware around MRI suites—support staff are vulnerable to unexpected mishaps, too. 

The accident occurred last week at Turku University Central in Turku, Finland, when an employee entered the MRI suite to clean it. They were using a large piece of cleaning equipment—presumably a buffing machine—when it was sucked into the MRI bore at a high rate of speed, according to local news outlets. 

Reports indicate that the employee knew to leave all loose metal supplies outside of the MRI suite but was not aware that the magnet would be powerful enough to pull in the heavy cleaning equipment. Thankfully, there have been no reported injuries related to the incident.  

"It was human error and it happened before any patients were in the room,” Mikko Pietilä, the director of hospital services for the Southwest Finland Welfare Region, told local media. 

Although no physical injuries were sustained, the projectile incident inflicted significant damage to the scanner and will likely incur a hefty repair bill. Pietilä estimates that the necessary repairs could reach “a seven-figure sum,” though the organization is still waiting on the final cost projections (Finland used the Euro). 

The hospital is said to be negotiating with their insurance providers regarding coverage of the repairs. The scanner will remain out of commission for the foreseeable future.