A 5-year-old girl from Mabima, Sri Lanka, died in an apparent MRI accident after a loud explosion, according to a report on Emirates 24/7.
Buddhi Ratnayake was admitted to a private hospital following epileptic fits on February 7; physicians referred her for an MRI exam, the article stated.
MRI exams are usually performed by an anesthetic consultant and a nurse; however, the child was imaged without a nurse present. After a loud bang, the girl was found to have turned blue and was rushed to the intensive care unit. She could not be revived.
According to the report, the mother asserted that she heard a doctor call for help, saying, "Isn't anybody coming to help me. The oxygen pipes have burst."
It is suspected that the MRI system had not been serviced for years, nor had the oxygen pipes been replaced, the article noted.
The incident was reported to the police and the case is currently in court.
