by Mindy Aguon

Guam - Just five months after it started being used and before the Guam Memorial Hospital could even have a big grand opening ceremony, the magnetic resonance imaging machine that was donated two years ago has broken down. GMH Spokesperson Connor Murphy says on December 18 there was a leak in a duct inside the sealed pressurized component of the MRI device, which caused a safety valve to leak helium out.

The magnet collapsed and now the machine has been deemed inoperable.

"It doesn't look like it's something that we can salvage, unfortunately," Murphy said. "It's a big disappointment to us at the hospital. It's a big loss. It's something we were really proud to offer our patients for the first time as a GMH resource. We're really going to have to look at the cost to replace the magnet and to get an idea of what we're going to do next."

Because the hospital is struggling to pay its vendors, the multi-million dollar repairs for the MRI will be put on the back burner for now.

Meanwhile, GMH was able to avoid disconnection and a stop in linen service as they paid $125,000 for power and $29,000 to its linen vendor.