Most people know that wearing anything metallic while inside an MRI machine is strongly discouraged. It’s a well-known safety rule for a reason.
Before any scan begins, medical staff usually ask patients to remove metal objects like jewelry, watches, or even clothing with metal zippers or clasps to avoid any complications.
Benjamin Navot, MD, who teaches radiology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, spoke about the usual precautions taken. He said: “Before your appointment, we’re going to ask you to leave anything metal at home, and that includes jewelry, watches, or clothes with metal hooks.”
“Even a small metal object can fly into the scanner or interfere with the image,” he added, reinforcing just how risky even the tiniest metal items can be.
The woman, reportedly 22 years old at the time, went through the MRI as scheduled. But as soon as it ended, she allegedly began to scream from the intense pain she was feeling.
It was later discovered that the sex toy in question was made mostly of silicone, but had a metallic core, which posed a major problem during the scan.
Efforts were made by the FDA to follow up with her after the incident, but she never responded to their calls.
Meanwhile, a photo surfaced on Reddit, supposedly showing an image from the woman’s scan. However, there’s no official confirmation that the image was directly related to this case.
Talking to MailOnline, Professor Adam Taylor, who specializes in human anatomy at Lancaster University, broke it down. He explained: “The speed at which ferromagnetic materials move in an MRI field is proportional to the mass of the object and how far away from the magnetic field it is.”
He went on to add: “Things such as paper clips or hairpins would easily reach 40mph if within the field.”
Even if the speed didn’t reach something as extreme as the speed of sound, it’s safe to say that the experience must have been incredibly painful and distressing either way.