In 2002, Mr. James Doyle, an expert in the field of MRI safety and an associate of Safety Stop Inc., was asked to present expert testimony in a wrongful death suit in New York City that involved an MRI machine. The incident in question (link), now a well-known story among MRI operators, involved the tragic death of a six-year old boy whose skull was crushed by a flying oxygen tank that was attracted to the strong magnetic field of the MRI device.

Needless to say, the case was very disturbing. During our investigation of MRI safety protocols, it was discovered that while the effects of an MRI device itself has been determined to be harmless, MRI-related injuries are often caused by flying metallic objects attracted to the strong magnetic field MRI devices. While MRI devices themselves are subject to standards and regulation, the environments in which they are located are not. More often than not, the only safeguard to prevent the entry of potentially dangerous metallic objects into the range of an MRI machine's magnetic pull consists of a warning sign placed on the door used when entering the room containing an MRI device. The main problem with this is that the door is typically left open, so the sign is not visible upon entering the room.

Following our investigation of MRI safety procedures, we set out to create a product that would reduce, if not eliminate, the number of occurences where metallic objects were accidently brought in close proximity of an MRI device. We wanted our product to make people Stop and think before they entered the room. Aside from using expenisive metal detectors, what better way to prevent potentially dangerous objects from entering an MRI room than forcing the people bringing them in to stop and think for a moment?