Helium shortage affects more than party balloons

[KSTP TV, May 10, 2019]

Beyond party balloons, helium is used in a number of industries you might not realize like manufacturing cell phones and other tech devices. It's also critical for some medical procedures.

"Within our MRI equipment, if we don't have the helium we aren't able to use the equipment," said Julie Singewald, director of radiology at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. "In order for that magnet to work we have to make it cold and the helium is one of the best things we can use to make it really cold," Singewald said.

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