Siemens recalls 9 Magnetom MRI systems

Siemens Healthineers has issued a recall notice for nine of its Magnetom MRI systems around the world. The notice was posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website on September 30.

The reason for the recall is that "there is a potential for an ice blockage to form or currently exist within the magnet venting system," the company said. "In the event of a quench, helium gas may be unable to escape through the designed venting paths, leading to a pressure build-up within the helium containment system. This pressure build-up could ultimately rupture the helium containment system, potentially resulting in a helium leak into the scanning room."

Siemens is investigating the cause of the problem, it said. It warned customers who may encounter the issue to "not reboot the system, call their local Siemens service organization, and grant access to the system so that an inspection can be carried out," according to the FDA notice.

The recall is categorized by the FDA as Class 1, which is the highest level and indicates a situation where there's a "reasonable probability that using a defective or violative product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death."

The agency has posted a list of affected devices.