MRI scans are strong diagnostics with high-definition images of what lies inside a body. Strong magnetic fields require precaution, as brought out by an instance where a young woman suffered very serious injuries due to an oversight in a metallic core within a silicone sex toy that she happened to have before the MRI scan. This makes a stark reminder about the potentially deadly consequences of missing metal objects when such procedures are being performed. In April 2023, a 23-year-old woman went into an MRI with a silicone plug containing a metal core that was not known.

She thought that the item is made entirely out of silicone according to the advertising. However, the strong magnetic field of the MRI machine interacted with the hidden metal, dragging the object through her body and causing excruciating pain. According to reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the scene was harrowing, with the woman screaming in agony and requiring immediate hospitalization. Despite pre-scan screenings, which are routine prior to a scan, the patient did not inform the facility that the object existed because he presumed it was purely non-metallic. This caused serious injuries that led to the patient's law suit against the manufacturer for deceitful misrepresentations of material content.

MRI machines employ magnets between 0.5 to 3 Tesla (T). This is thousands of times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field. The tremendous force causes ferromagnetic materials, like iron and nickel, to be magnetized quickly and become strongly attracted toward the magnet. Objects as small as hairpins or paper clips will accelerate at 40 miles per hour inside the magnetic field.

The force can lead to catastrophic injuries in items lodged within the body, such as metallic implants or foreign objects. Metallic cores within devices, like pacemakers or intrauterine devices, must be disclosed to radiologists to prevent such complications.

How Metal Objects Interact with MRI Fields?

On these claims, Dr. Adam Taylor, a specialist in human anatomy, weighed his words in a international health website and added that the distance away and mass of this object would increase its velocity towards that of sound, "The acceleration would be phenomenal, but with a metallic core, it can't go anywhere near supersonic speeds. As for the size, the magnetic acceleration to the internal soft tissues would ensure that there could be severe intracranial trauma."

The injuries inflicted in this case likely involved damage to major blood vessels, nerves, or organs, highlighting the devastating impact of even minor oversight during an MRI scan.

This is not an isolated case. There are documented cases of metallic objects causing serious damage during MRI scans with a 65-year-old man with schizophrenia swallowed metal objects, including sockets and a hinge pin. The powerful magnetic field during an MRI scan caused the objects to rupture his stomach, resulting in serious injuries.

A toddler who ingested 11 small magnets perforated his bowel while undergoing a scan, making his case unique. In another deadly but extremely rare incident, there have been people who hide a firearm on themselves during MRI procedures. Magnetic attraction can trigger a discharge in a weapon and has led to some fatal injuries.

These cases emphasize the very strong need for adequate screening and patient education prior to an MRI.

Preventing MRI-Related Incidents

Medical professionals have been trained to avoid risks. This is by properly screening a patient for metallic objects. In general, most pre-scan protocols include:

• Patients are interrogated about implants, recent surgery or exposures at work related to metals.
• Radiologists sometimes use handheld metal detectors to search for hidden items.
• People who work with metal, like welders or machinists, will need additional testing to detect microscopic metal fragments within soft tissues or eyes.

The case emphasizes the importance of product labeling by manufacturers, especially those products that are likely to unintentionally cause harm to health. The patient's assumption that her device was 100% silicone points to a larger problem in consumer markets with misinformation.

It also reminds the patients to report any possible dangers to the medical professionals, no matter how the objects look non-metallic. In sensitive cases, patients can request private discussions with healthcare providers to ensure safety without discomfort.

In the end, it is a joint effort from manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and patients that can prevent such tragedies. Manufacturers must ensure truthful marketing, while healthcare providers should educate patients about the dangers of metal objects in MRI settings. For patients, understanding the risks and actively participating in pre-scan disclosures can be lifesaving.

This young woman's experience is a sobering example of the unforeseen dangers posed by MRI machines when precautions are overlooked. It serves as a wake-up call to address gaps in patient awareness, medical protocols, and product transparency. By learning from this incident, the medical community and the public can work together to ensure MRI scans remain a safe and effective diagnostic tool.

UK hospitals are seeing an increase in COVID-19 activity as the SARS-CoV-2 XFG variant, dubbed “American Covid” or “Stratus,” circulates in the country.

According to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), COVID positivity in hospital settings increased from 5.9% to 7.0%. The weekly hospital admission rate also rose from 0.81 to 1.20 per 100,000, an increase of about 48%.

London recorded the highest increase among regions, with its COVID hospital admission rate rising by 79%.

More than half of the sequenced positive samples were reported to be XFG. Among people aged over 85, hospital admission rates increased from 7.08 to 12.43 per 100,000.

However, the true number of infections could be higher because fewer people are testing for COVID-19 than during the pandemic.

Also read: Flu 2026: Symptoms To Watch For As New Season Begins

What Is the XFG Variant?

XFG is a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variant formed from Omicron subvariants LF.7 and LP.8.1.2. The WHO records the earliest documented XFG sample on January 27, 2025, and designated it a variant under monitoring in June 2025.

The variant has since been detected in multiple countries and remains among the SARS-CoV-2 variants being monitored by WHO.

What Are the Symptoms of XFG?

COVID symptoms can vary between individuals. Reported symptoms associated with the current circulation of XFG include:

• Cough

• Fever

• Sore throat

• Headache

• Runny nose

• Fatigue

Some people may also experience muscle and joint aches, gastrointestinal symptoms as well as eye or chest infections, while others may have no symptoms.

London GP Dr Renée Hoenderkamp has highlighted symptoms including sore throat, headache, runny nose, fatigue and flu-like aches, Daily Mail reported.

Read More: WHO Sets 2027 Flu Vaccine Strains; US States Can Now Order Free COVID Shots For Kids

Does XFG Cause More Severe Disease?

There is currently no evidence that the variants circulating in the UK are causing more severe disease.

“There is no evidence that variants currently circulating in the UK are causing more severe disease,” Dr Siggins said. “However, COVID can still cause serious illness in those at greatest risk.”

The latest available figures cited in reports recorded seven deaths involving COVID in England in the week ending August 28, compared with six the previous week.

Older adults and people with underlying conditions remain more vulnerable to severe COVID.

How Worried Should We Be?

The current increase is not comparable with the waves seen during the height of the COVID pandemic. UKHSA classifies the current hospital admission rate as being at a baseline level.

“COVID is increasing, but from a low level, which is not unexpected at this time of year,” said Dr Matthew Siggins, lecturer in immunity and infection biology at the University of Surrey, according to reports.

WHO has assessed the additional public health risk posed by XFG as low at the global level. Current evidence does not indicate that XFG causes more severe illness or deaths than other circulating variants.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

People who develop a high temperature or feel particularly unwell should stay home and avoid contact with others while they recover.

People eligible for the autumn COVID vaccination are advised to get vaccinated to maintain protection against serious illness.

Most people have some immunity from previous infection, vaccination or both. However, immunity may decline over time and does not always prevent infection. Protection against severe disease is generally stronger.

WHO has said currently approved COVID vaccines are expected to continue providing protection against symptomatic and severe disease from XFG.

Robotic technology is set to become an accelerating tool across every specialty of medicine, covering diagnostics, treatment and therapy in India, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh said.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the International Conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery in New Delhi, Singh said robotics should not be viewed as technology limited to surgery but as a tool that could increasingly be used across different branches of medicine.

“It’s a tool. It will happen everywhere,” he said, adding that the future could see the emergence of robotic medicine, robotic endocrinology and robotic cardiology, just as AI is finding applications across medical specialties.

Robotics, AI and Precision Medicine

Singh said robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and nanoscience could create a larger ecosystem for precision health delivery and precision medicine.

Emerging technologies, he said, could enable increasingly personalized healthcare based on an individual's genetic profile, environmental conditions, lifestyle and dietary patterns.

He said the next phase of medicine could see greater use of genetically driven diagnostics alongside advances in quantum technologies, nanomedicine, AI and robotics.

Gene Sequencing for Every Newborn

Singh also expressed a desire to launch gene sequencing for every newborn. Referring to the Genome India Program, he said 10,000 individuals have already been sequenced and that AI and robotics could support detailed genetic sequencing across India's population of 1.4 billion.

He also highlighted the potential of tele-robotics, sharing his experience of performing an ultrasound on a person located 10,000 kilometers away in Antarctica.

How Robotics Is Changing Surgery

The shift toward robotic medicine is already visible in surgery. AIIMS experts recently explained how robotic technology is changing gallbladder surgery, building on the transition from open surgery to laparoscopy and now robotic-assisted procedures.

Professor Hemanga K Bhattacharjee, Department of Surgical Disciplines, AIIMS New Delhi, said inflammation, adhesions, scarring and unexpected anatomy can make gallbladder surgery difficult.

“What the surgeon encounters once the procedure begins can be very different from what was expected. In such situations, robotic-assisted surgery can be an ideal option, as the enhanced visualization and instrument control can help the surgeon navigate difficult anatomy with greater precision,” Bhattacharjee said.

The AIIMS Department of Surgical Disciplines uses the da Vinci robotic system, which provides a high-definition 3D view and wristed instruments for controlled movements. The department has performed more than 1,500 robot-assisted surgeries across specialties, according to hospital authorities.

Will Robotics Replace Laparoscopy?

Dr. Sunil Chumber, Head of the Department of Surgical Disciplines at AIIMS, Delhi, has worked through the evolution from open surgery and mini-laparotomy to laparoscopy and robotic-assisted surgery.

He described robotic-assisted surgery as “a significant step forward” and said he considers it “a superior surgical platform” based on his experience.

“My expectation is that, eventually, gallbladder surgery will be performed robotically and conventional laparoscopy will be phased out,” Chumber said.

“Every generation of surgery builds on what came before it. Laparoscopy was a major advancement in its time, but having worked with robotic-assisted surgery, I believe robotics is the next step in that evolution.”

TikTok star Brooke Eby, who chronicled her life with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), through candid, humorous and deeply personal videos, has died at 37.

Eby was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2022 at age 33. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages the nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement.

Brooke Eby Made ALS Personal

Eby became known for sharing the realities of living with ALS on social media. Her videos combined humor with candid accounts of how the disease affected her mobility, breathing, speech and daily life.

The ALS Network described her as an “extraordinary advocate, storyteller, community builder and friend” whose honesty and humor helped change how people understood ALS.

“Brooke changed the way people see ALS, but she also changed the way people living with ALS find and support one another,” said Sheri Strahl, president and CEO of the ALS Network.

Eby also used her platform to challenge the perception that ALS mainly affects older men.

“I didn’t choose ALS, but I did choose to get loud, and be irreverent about it,” Eby said after receiving an award from the ALS Network for her advocacy.

Also read: New RNA Therapy For ALS, The Disease Stephen Hawking Had: Patient With Rare Motor Neuron Disease Improves

She Documented Her ALS Progression

Eby regularly updated followers as her condition progressed.

In June 2025, she said her breathing capacity had declined significantly over six months. She also shared that she had undergone a procedure to have a feeding tube placed in her stomach.

By January 2026, Eby said she had begun experiencing bulbar symptoms, which can affect speech and swallowing. She reported trouble swallowing, speech disturbances and excess saliva.

In September 2026, she shared that her speech had deteriorated rapidly.

“In the last few weeks, people just can’t understand me at all,” she said, explaining that speaking had also begun requiring careful positioning of her body.

Eby Wanted People To Understand ALS Can Affect Anyone

In a PEOPLE essay, Eby wrote that she wanted people to understand that ALS does not discriminate by age, gender or demographic.

“I have ALS at a relatable age. Personally, I always associated this disease with older men,” she wrote. “But I could be someone’s daughter, sister, mom, girlfriend, wife.”

While much of her content was comedic, Eby also educated her audience about ALS, including how symptoms can vary and how the disease progresses.

Read More: Stanford Scientists Say The Human Brain May Be Two Separate Organs: How It Could Affect ALS & SMA Research

What Is ALS?

ALS affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. As these nerve cells degenerate, people can develop muscle weakness, loss of movement, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and eventually breathing problems.

ALS can begin in the limbs or with speech and swallowing problems, known as bulbar-onset ALS.

There is currently no cure for ALS, although treatments can help manage symptoms, improve quality of life and extend survival.

ALS Symptoms

Symptoms vary but can include:

• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps and twitching
• Muscle atrophy
• Stiffness and spasticity
• Difficulty speaking or swallowing
• Breathing difficulties
• Changes in emotional expression

Some people with ALS also develop cognitive or behavioral changes.

Eby’s social media posts gave thousands of followers a candid look at how the disease could change everyday life, while helping raise awareness about a condition that is often associated with older adults.