View Full Version : Spontaneous Discharge of a Firearm in an MR Imaging Environment
jhood001
10-08-2014, 10:01
Apparently huge magnets and 1911s don't mix.
http://www.ajronline.org/doi/full/10.2214/ajr.178.5.1781092
An incident recently occurred at an outpatient imaging center in western New York State, in which a firearm spontaneously discharged in a 1.5-T MR imaging environment with active shielding. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of such an occurrence. The event confirms previously reported theoretic risks of a firearm discharging in an MR imaging environment [1]. In this report, we examine the incident in detail from the official police and ballistic reports.
Bailey Guns
10-08-2014, 10:19
That's pretty wild...and interesting! It gives a new appreciation of how powerful one of those machines can be.
That's why I only use plastic triggers and carbon fiber firing pins.
thvigil11
10-08-2014, 10:34
I carry a glock 7. No problems with this sort of thing, and it costs more than what you make in a month!"
[Flower]
sellersm
10-08-2014, 10:43
HA! My old stomping grounds (Rochester, NY)... So, the lesson here is to check the metal handgun at the door!! Interesting to know exactly how it fired?
Great-Kazoo
10-08-2014, 10:45
HA! My old stomping grounds (Rochester, NY)... So, the lesson here is to check the metal handgun at the door!! Interesting to know exactly how it fired?
Another upstater ?
sellersm
10-08-2014, 10:46
Another upstater ?
Don't hold it against me...[Coffee]
Bunch of invaders around here.
4runner freak
10-08-2014, 11:03
A high school friend of mine had a round go off in his trunk when a battery contacted it.
Apparently, he had rounds floating in a pocket of a bag that happened to have a 3.7v battery in, as well.
Nothing like learning the other ways to set off bullets. :)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t35.0-12/p720x720/10685767_10152248864836256_1180677548_o.jpg?oh=9fe e75574f246a7fbc272c95cb57f6f3&oe=54386343&__gda__=1412916848_a744b07693e062fe36a7236f69742c7 b
HoneyBadger
10-08-2014, 11:05
Do a youtube search for videos of people throwing metal things into an MRI. I can't get to youtube right now.
Another upstater ?
We all fled Cumo Sr and Pucktatci (spellings NOT in error)
Elmira,,Little Valley,,Clifton Park
Moved to Bailey originally,,,now in Asspen Valley
sellersm
10-08-2014, 11:59
We all fled Cumo Sr and Pucktatci
Elmira,,Little Valley,,Clifton Park
Wow, haven't heard "Little Valley " in a long time. I grew up in Jamestown... Spent the summers at our Church camp in Cattaraugus.
Sent from my fat fingers using Tapatalk
Another upstater ?
Eh upstate,downstate,whats da difference? We got outta dat state. Fhugetaboudit!!!![Coffee]
Do a youtube search for videos of people throwing metal things into an MRI. I can't get to youtube right now.
Yeah, Giant MAGNETIC Resonance Imaging devices and anything metal generally don't mix.
Looks like Murphy "missed" this one.
http://youtu.be/6BBx8BwLhqg
A high school friend of mine had a round go off in his trunk when a battery contacted it.
Apparently, he had rounds floating in a pocket of a bag that happened to have a 3.7v battery in, as well.
Nothing like learning the other ways to set off bullets. :)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t35.0-12/p720x720/10685767_10152248864836256_1180677548_o.jpg?oh=9fe e75574f246a7fbc272c95cb57f6f3&oe=54386343&__gda__=1412916848_a744b07693e062fe36a7236f69742c7 b
Doesn't surprise me. In the course of my work I have had 9volt batteries end up in a tool pouch filled with screws, nails and other items.. Things get real hot real fast when you have a short across battery terminals.
sent from a soup can and some string..
Doesn't surprise me. In the course of my work I have had 9volt batteries end up in a tool pouch filled with screws, nails and other items.. Things get real hot real fast when you have a short across battery terminals.
sent from a soup can and some string..
I learned that by having a pocket full of batteries once upon a time.
HoneyBadger
10-08-2014, 19:12
Yeah, Giant MAGNETIC Resonance Imaging devices and anything metal generally don't mix.
Looks like Murphy "missed" this one.
http://youtu.be/6BBx8BwLhqg
Thanks! That's exactly the video I was thinking of!
Another upstater ?
Schenectady when I was a kid.
O2
Titanium firing pin ftw. ;-)
Sent from my electronic leash.
Titanium firing pin block ftw. ;-)
I'd bet this scenario could not be repeated due to the force/angle/timing, etc.
mcantar18c
10-09-2014, 14:21
Here's an interesting vid... the strength of these magnetic fields is pretty impressive
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/how-dangerous-are-magnetic-items-near-mri-machine
I recall an incident where a cop lost his weapon to the forces of an MRI, don't recall the gun firing. This article is dated 2002, might be the same incident.
Dumbass should be relieved of his weapon and made to pay for repairs and the cost of re-energizing the magnets.
I recall an incident where a cop lost his weapon to the forces of an MRI, don't recall the gun firing. This article is dated 2002, might be the same incident.
Dumbass should be relieved of his weapon and made to pay for repairs and the cost of re-energizing the magnets.
Do the magnets need to be re-energized?
The magnetic coils arè super-cooled with liquid helium to take advantage of copper's superconductivity at ~4K (I'll have to look it up again).
You need the superconductivity to achieve those huge magnetic fields. If you have an MRI, and have any metal in you, let the doctors know. If it's ferrous, it might get ripped out of your body the hard way.
Yeah but does it cause the magnets to be re-energized?
There are coils of superconducting ribbons arranged around the patient in an MRI. The passage of current through the ribbons creates the magnetic field. This is called electromagnetism, which is different than "ferromagnetism" that results in permanent magnets (the kind on your fridge). Passage of current through any conductor will create a magnetic field. (like copper windings in a motor)
Current on = magnetic field
More current = stronger magnetic field
Current off = no magnetic field
The superconducting ribbons pass extremely high currents, which is why the magnetic fields are so strong in an MRI. The liquid helium reduces the temperature of the ribbons to a temperature below their critical point (the temperature where they begin acting as a superconductor). The ribbons are not made of copper, though. They are made of alloys of niobium and tin or titanium (usually).
Dumbass should be relieved of his weapon and made to pay for repairs and the cost of re-energizing the magnets.
I was questioning this. If they don't need to be re-energized, then no need for paying to do so.
You're right, my working assumption was that you couldn't just turn off the power. The inductive kickback would be interesting to watch....from a safe distance.
You're right, my working assumption was that you couldn't just turn off the power. The inductive kickback would be interesting to watch....from a safe distance.
There is a sign before walking through a metal detector at the VA Medical Center saying that the magnet is on even though the MRI is not in use.
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