Meerut, Oct. 3 -- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) services at the Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial (LLRM) Medical College have been completely halted following a technical breakdown. On Thursday evening, a crucial pipe in the hospital's MRI machine burst, leading to a massive leak of liquid helium gas. Officials estimate that the vital scanning facility will remain suspended for at least a month, severely affecting patients from Meerut and surrounding districts. According to the hospital administration, the MRI machine is approximately 10 years old and had been experiencing a minor pipe leakage for the past few days. The superconducting magnet inside machine requires liquid helium to maintain a safe, ultra-low operating temperature. The minor leak escalated on Thursday when the pipe completely ruptured, releasing the helium gas rapidly and forcing the system to shut down. Dr RC Gupta, Principal of the Medical College, stated that restoring the facility requires sourcing fresh helium gas alongside extensive technical repairs. He noted that the entire procurement and restoration process will take at least a month. htc...