Money Not just balloons: Helium shortage may deflate MRIs, airbags and research May 10, 2019May 13, 2019Edward C. Baig and Charisse Jones, USA TODAYComments Off on Not just balloons: Helium shortage may deflate MRIs, airbags and research The helium shortage is potentially deflating for a range of purposes: airbags, rocket fuel, MRIs, fiber optics, semiconductors, and, yes, balloons.