Four infusion pumps were attracted toward an MRI scanner

A manufacturer report in the FDA MAUDE database describes a critically ill patient brought into an MRI examination room with four infusion pumps delivering stabilizing medication. The report says the pumps were drawn toward the magnet and struck the scanner's front cover.

What is documented

The report states that the impact damaged the pumps and interrupted delivery of necessary medication. The patient died shortly afterward. Crucially, the report says it was unknown whether the event contributed to the death. That uncertainty must not be removed from the account.

In a subsequent manufacturer narrative, Siemens Healthineers said its investigation found no scanner malfunction and attributed the incident to ferromagnetic equipment entering the MR room. This is the manufacturer's reported conclusion, not an independently established finding about every aspect of the patient's outcome.

The operational lesson

Critical-care transfers add pressure, but equipment safety checks remain essential. Devices taken into the controlled MR environment require confirmation of their MR safety status and conditions of use. Pump compatibility, placement and continuity of medication delivery must be planned through approved local procedures before transfer.