The surprising link between MR helium leaks and iPhone shutdowns

Humans and magnets are the not the only potential victims of helium leaks. The colorless, odorless gas can also affect iPhones – models six and up – as well as Apple Watches, series zero and higher.
“One iPhone had severe service issues after the incident, and some of the [Apple Watches] remained on, but the touch screens weren’t working (even after several days),” said Erik Woolridge, a systems specialist at Morris Hospital in Illinois which experienced a helium leak that affected a number of devices throughout the entire facility.

The experience illustrates the need to consult user guides for iPhone and Apple Watch devices to protect or repair phones in the event of such leaks.


Philips new MR dramatically cuts helium requirement and needs no vent pipe

One solution to all these helium problems may be found in Royal Philips' Ingenia Ambition X 1.5T MR, which made its debut in September.

Equipped with a fully sealed BlueSeal magnet, the scanner requires less than half a percent of the amount of liquid helium used in conventional systems and can reduce scan time by 50 percent. It also has no vent pipe, making it 900 kilograms lighter than Philips’ Ingenia 1.5T ZBO magnet and significantly cutting down on construction costs.

“MR provides exceptional diagnostic capabilities, but it also places substantial operational demands on the hospital or imaging center due to requirements for installation, footprint and service,” said Arjen Radder, global business leader for MR at Philips, told HCB News. “The fully-sealed design of our BlueSeal magnet results in significant operational and productivity benefits for our customers.”

The system is both CE marked and FDA cleared, with the first installation completed at Spital Uster Hospital, a provider of extended primary healthcare in Zurich, Switzerland.


Man dies in India MR mishap

The most recent recording of MR adverse events saw a 500 percent rise between 2000 and 2009.


One such incident took place at the beginning of 2018 in India, when 31-year-old Rajesh Maruti Maru entered into the scanning room at BYL Nair Municipal Hospital in Mumbai with his elderly mother-in-law’s oxygen tank. The force of the machine sucked and pinned him by the hand, trapping him in the device and killing him.

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