US20230347043A1 - System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems - Google Patents
System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20230347043A1 US20230347043A1 US18/208,021 US202318208021A US2023347043A1 US 20230347043 A1 US20230347043 A1 US 20230347043A1 US 202318208021 A US202318208021 A US 202318208021A US 2023347043 A1 US2023347043 A1 US 2023347043A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- fluid
- flow rate
- syringe
- flow
- catheter
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 875
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 131
- 210000004204 blood vessel Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 63
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 47
- 230000001052 transient effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 claims description 213
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 claims description 213
- FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M Sodium chloride Chemical compound [Na+].[Cl-] FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 110
- 239000002872 contrast media Substances 0.000 description 104
- 239000011780 sodium chloride Substances 0.000 description 101
- 230000008961 swelling Effects 0.000 description 29
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 17
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 17
- 238000002156 mixing Methods 0.000 description 14
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 11
- 206010015866 Extravasation Diseases 0.000 description 10
- 230000036251 extravasation Effects 0.000 description 10
- 230000008595 infiltration Effects 0.000 description 10
- 238000001764 infiltration Methods 0.000 description 10
- 238000003384 imaging method Methods 0.000 description 8
- 230000002441 reversible effect Effects 0.000 description 7
- 239000008156 Ringer's lactate solution Substances 0.000 description 5
- 230000001133 acceleration Effects 0.000 description 5
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 5
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000002591 computed tomography Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000001276 controlling effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000005336 cracking Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000002405 diagnostic procedure Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000002560 therapeutic procedure Methods 0.000 description 3
- 210000003462 vein Anatomy 0.000 description 3
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000007865 diluting Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000002595 magnetic resonance imaging Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002792 vascular Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229920000271 Kevlar® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 206010033372 Pain and discomfort Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003044 adaptive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002583 angiography Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000008280 blood Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000004369 blood Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 238000009530 blood pressure measurement Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000036760 body temperature Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000747 cardiac effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002131 composite material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000013170 computed tomography imaging Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 201000010099 disease Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 208000037265 diseases, disorders, signs and symptoms Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000036571 hydration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006703 hydration reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001802 infusion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004761 kevlar Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 210000000056 organ Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 230000010355 oscillation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002572 peristaltic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 231100000614 poison Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000087 stabilizing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000001502 supplementing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003440 toxic substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 231100000419 toxicity Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- 230000001988 toxicity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920000785 ultra high molecular weight polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 210000005166 vasculature Anatomy 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
- A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
- A61M5/1407—Infusion of two or more substances
- A61M5/1408—Infusion of two or more substances in parallel, e.g. manifolds, sequencing valves
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
- A61M5/007—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests for contrast media
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
- A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
- A61M5/142—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
- A61M5/145—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
- A61M5/1452—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons pressurised by means of pistons
- A61M5/14546—Front-loading type injectors
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
- A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
- A61M5/142—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
- A61M5/145—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
- A61M5/1452—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons pressurised by means of pistons
- A61M5/14566—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons pressurised by means of pistons with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
- A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
- A61M5/142—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
- A61M2005/14208—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
- A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
- A61M5/142—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
- A61M5/145—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
- A61M5/1452—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons pressurised by means of pistons
- A61M5/14546—Front-loading type injectors
- A61M2005/14553—Front-loading type injectors comprising a pressure jacket
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
- A61M2205/33—Controlling, regulating or measuring
- A61M2205/3331—Pressure; Flow
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
- A61M2205/33—Controlling, regulating or measuring
- A61M2205/3331—Pressure; Flow
- A61M2205/3334—Measuring or controlling the flow rate
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
- A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
- A61M2205/50—General characteristics of the apparatus with microprocessors or computers
Definitions
- the present disclosure is directed to a system and method for reducing the occurrence of spikes in flow rates for a fluid delivery system having a fluid pumping device for delivery of two or more medical fluids in applications in medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
- a physician or trained clinician injects fluid into a patient.
- a physician may inject saline and/or an imaging contrast medium into a patient to help improve the visibility of internal body structures during one or more X-ray/CT imaging, MRI imaging, or other imaging procedure.
- the clinician may use a manual injection syringe or may, alternatively, use a powered fluid injection system.
- a catheter is coupled to the manual injection syringe or injection device and is used to inject the saline and/or contrast medium into the patient (such as into a vessel in the patient’s hand or arm).
- the contrast medium and saline are provided from separate sources, such as bags, bottles, or syringes, and, in certain cases, may be mixed together before injection into the patient.
- saline may be mixed together before injection into the patient.
- problems may develop during use of certain capacitive pressure injection systems and syringes, including spikes in fluid flow rates, extravasation and/or infiltration, saline or contrast medium contamination during injection due to backflow of the fluids, real-time injection ratio inaccuracies, or kick-back in catheter tubes that are inserted into patients.
- Extravasation and infiltration are often characterized as an accidental infusion of an injection fluid, such as a contrast medium (extravasation) or saline (infiltration), into tissue surrounding a blood vessel rather than into the blood vessel itself.
- Extravasation and infiltration can be caused, for example, by a fragile vascular system, valve disease, inaccurate needle placement, sudden changes in fluid flow, or patient movement resulting in the injected needle being pulled from the intended vessel or pushed through the wall of the vessel.
- Additional extravasation and/or infiltration issues may occur when using both a contrast medium and saline for a procedure.
- FIG. 1 initially, no pressure is applied to the contrast medium 10 or saline 12 , resulting in no flow through the fluid injector system.
- FIG. 2 pressure is then applied to the contrast medium 10 resulting in a pressure build up and initial backflow of contrast medium 10 into the saline 12 at point A.
- the flow rate of the contrast medium 10 may be reduced due to the effect of backflow and expansion in the contrast medium 10 bag or syringe and saline 12 bag or syringe due to the injection fluid pressure.
- the saline 12 bag or syringe may expand depending on the particular capacitance of the saline 12 bag or syringe.
- the flow rate and pressure of the contrast medium 10 may continue to increase, thereby stabilizing the pressure in the injector system.
- the pressure applied to the saline 12 due to the higher viscosity of the contrast medium 10 , the pressure applied to the saline 12 must be increased further until resistance to the flow of the saline 12 drops and the saline 12 is directed into the contrast medium 10 flow at point B. Until the saline 12 reaches a pressure that is substantially similar to the contrast medium 10 , the saline 12 stores pressure energy during the contrast medium 10 injection.
- the flow rate of the saline 12 increases rapidly (higher than the flow rate programmed for the saline 12 ) due to the stored pressure energy (capacitance), sending an increased amount of saline 12 to mix with the contrast medium 10 .
- This increased flow rate or flow spike can cause a rapid fluid acceleration in the catheter.
- the syringes or bags of the injector system will begin to deflate as the pressure within the syringes or bags decreases due to the uniform flow of contrast medium 10 and/or saline 12 .
- An additional factor that may contribute to the problem of inaccurate fluid mixing ratios is the backflow of fluid that occurs in injections where the viscous contrast medium 10 is injected at a higher ratio than the less viscous saline 12 .
- the fluid pressure of the more viscous contrast medium 10 that is injected at a higher ratio may act against the fluid pressure of the less viscous saline 12 that is injected at a lower ratio to force the contrast medium 10 to reverse the desired direction of flow.
- pressures equalize and the fluid injection system achieves a steady state operation where the contrast medium 10 and saline 12 are injected at a desired ratio.
- contrast medium 10 and saline 12 may be 80% contrast medium 10 to 20% saline 12
- the actual ratio due to backflow of contrast medium 10 into the saline 12 may be higher.
- contrast medium 10 may backflow into the saline syringe and sink to the bottom of the saline syringe.
- the saline syringe may be substantially filled with contrast medium thereby contaminating and reducing the amount of the saline fluid 12 .
- An additional complication with known multi-fluid injector systems is a kickback or rapid movement of the catheter in the patient’s body as a result of the erratic flow of the contrast medium or saline.
- the saline and contrast medium tubing is connected to a catheter that is used for injecting the fluids into the patient.
- the catheter may at least partially kick-back or otherwise change position within the patient vasculature.
- Fluid accelerations may be caused by nozzle effects in the catheter and rapid increases in flow rate during contrast medium-to-saline transitions.
- the nozzle on the catheter may accelerate the fluid from a lower flow rate in the tubing of the catheter to an increased flow rate exiting the catheter.
- the transition from a contrast medium injection to a saline injection causes a rapid flow rate increase.
- the force imparted to the catheter may cause undesired movement of the catheter.
- Complications related to extravasation and infiltration, inaccurate fluid mixing ratios, and catheter kickback and rapid movement may include unnecessary pain and discomfort to the patient.
- a fluid delivery system that provides a more precise and efficient flow rate or ratio of fluids during initial injection procedures compared to existing fluid delivery systems.
- Existing fluid delivery systems do not always provide accurate flow rates or mixing ratios of the desired fluids resulting in the risk of extravasation and/or infiltration.
- a fluid delivery system that allows an individual to quickly and accurately provide the necessary flow rate or ratio of fluids to a patient.
- a method of maintaining a substantially uniform overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel includes delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, and adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- the method further includes delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
- the method may include adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
- the method may include pressurizing the first fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the first fluid.
- the method may include pressurizing the second fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the second fluid.
- the method may include pressurizing the first fluid and the second fluid using separate check valves to a first predetermined pressure and a second predetermined pressure, respectively, before delivering the first fluid and the second fluid.
- the method may include over-delivering a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during the delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- the method may include diluting one of the first fluid and the second fluid with a predetermined volume of the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- the method may include providing a multi-fluid injection system including a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and reducing a capacitance of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to prevent backflow of at least one of the second fluid into the first syringe and the first fluid into the second syringe.
- the method may include providing a pressure jacket around an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe under pressure.
- the method may include providing a multi-fluid injection system including a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and wherein at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe includes a reduced inside diameter to correspond to a desired flow rate.
- the method may include providing an obstruction member within at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce the inner diameter of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- the method may include providing a multi-fluid injection system including a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and providing an external restriction member on an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe; and adjusting an inner diameter of the external restriction member to adjust a permitted swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- the method may include controlling one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using an equalizing flow valve based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
- the method may include adjusting at least one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate before delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid based on at least one of known operating fluid pressure and capacitance of a multi-fluid injection system used to deliver the first fluid and the second fluid.
- the method may include increasing a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of first fluid and the second fluid.
- a controller for a multi-fluid injection system configured to maintain an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel
- the system includes a processor configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to: deliver at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, deliver at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, and adjust at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to increase a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- the processor may also be further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to delay the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
- the processor may also be further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to over-deliver a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 1 A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the method comprising: delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate; delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate; and adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 2 The method of Clause 1, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
- Clause 3 The method of Clause 1 or Clause 2, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
- Clause 4 The method of any of Clauses 1-3, further comprising pressurizing the first fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the first fluid.
- Clause 5 The method of any of Clauses 1-4, further comprising pressurizing the second fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the second fluid.
- Clause 6 The method of any of Clauses 1-5, further comprising pressurizing the first fluid and the second fluid using separate check valves to a first predetermined pressure and a second predetermined pressure, respectively, before delivering the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 7 The method of any of Clauses 1-6, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises over-delivering a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during the delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 8 The method of any of Clauses 1-7, further comprising diluting one of the first fluid and the second fluid with a predetermined volume of the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 9 The method of any of Clauses 1-8, further comprising: providing a multi-fluid injection system comprising: a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and reducing a capacitance of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to prevent backflow of at least one of the second fluid into the first syringe and the first fluid into the second syringe.
- Clause 10 The method of Clause 9, further comprising providing a pressure jacket around an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe under pressure.
- Clause 11 The method of any of Clauses 1-10, further comprising: providing a multi-fluid injection system comprising: a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and wherein at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe includes a reduced inside diameter to correspond to a desired flow rate.
- Clause 12 The method of Clause 11, further comprising providing an obstruction member within at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce the inner diameter of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- Clause 13 The method of any of Clauses 1-12, further comprising: providing a multi-fluid injection system comprising: a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; providing an external restriction member on an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe; and adjusting an inner diameter of the external restriction member to adjust a permitted swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- a multi-fluid injection system comprising: a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressuri
- Clause 14 The method of any of Clauses 1-13, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises controlling one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using an equalizing flow valve based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
- Clause 15 The method of any of Clauses 1-14, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting at least one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate before delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid based on at least one of known operating fluid pressure and capacitance of a multi-fluid injection system used to deliver the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 16 The method of any of Clauses 1-15, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises increasing a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of first fluid and the second fluid.
- a multi-fluid injection system configured to maintain an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the system comprising: a processor configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to: deliver at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate; deliver at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate; and adjust at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 18 The controller of Clause 17, wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to increase a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 19 The controller as claimed in Clause 17 or Clause 18, wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to delay the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
- Clause 20 The controller as claimed in any of Clauses 17-19, wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to over-deliver a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- FIGS. 1 - 4 are schematic views depicting known methods of injecting a first fluid and a second fluid to a patient using a fluid injection system
- FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic views depicting a fluid injection system according to one example of the present disclosure
- FIG. 7 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 8 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 9 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 10 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure showing a plunger in an extended position
- FIG. 11 is a schematic view depicting the fluid injection system of FIG. 10 with the plunger in an over-travel position;
- FIG. 12 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 13 is a front view of a syringe according to an example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view depicting a syringe of a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure along line A-A in FIG. 13 ;
- FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view depicting a syringe of a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 16 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 17 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 18 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 19 is a front view of a catheter including a rigid member according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 20 A is a front view of a catheter including a sheath provided on an outer circumferential surface thereof in a deflated position;
- FIG. 20 B is a front view of the catheter and sheath of FIG. 20 A in an inflated position
- FIGS. 21 and 22 are front views of a catheter according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIGS. 23 and 24 are front views of a catheter according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a catheter according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIGS. 26 and 27 are cross-sectional views of a catheter inserted into a patient’s blood vessel according to another example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 28 is a graphical illustration of a transition period between injecting contrast medium and injecting saline during current multi-fluid injection procedures
- FIG. 29 is a graphical illustration of an extended transition period between injecting contrast medium and injecting saline according to the present disclosure.
- FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a multi-fluid injection system according to an example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 31 is a graph depicting an overall flow rate of fluid exiting a catheter with a contrast medium to saline transition
- FIG. 32 is a graph depicting an overall flow rate of fluid exiting a catheter with a saline to saline transition
- FIG. 33 is an annotated graph depicting an overall flow rate of fluid exiting a catheter with a contrast medium to saline transition
- FIG. 34 is a graph depicting several different overall catheter flowrates of varying contrast medium viscosity
- FIG. 35 is a graph depicting several different overall catheter flowrates
- FIG. 36 A is a schematic of a multi-fluid injection system according to an example of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 36 B is a cross-sectional view of the multi-fluid injection system of FIG. 30 ;
- FIG. 37 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure.
- an injection fluid such as a contrast medium
- a contrast medium source is delivered from a contrast medium source to the patient using a powered or manual injector.
- the injected contrast medium is delivered to a desired site in a patient’s body through a catheter inserted into the patient’s body, such as the arm.
- the contrast medium is delivered to the desired site, the area is imaged using a conventional imaging technique, such as computed tomography (CT), angiography imagining, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or other imaging or scanning technique.
- CT computed tomography
- MRI magnetic resonance imaging
- the contrast medium becomes clearly visible against the background of the surrounding tissue.
- the contrast medium may comprise toxic substances, it is desirable to reduce contrast dosing to the patient, while maintaining an effective contrast amount necessary for accurate imaging.
- the saline flushes the contrast medium to the area of interest and additional hydration of the patient occurs automatically and aids the body in removing the contrast medium.
- introduction of saline at clinically significant pressures and flow rates also allows higher flow rates to be achieved at lower pressure settings on the injector.
- a fluid injector 100 such as an automated or powered fluid injector, is adapted to interface with and actuate at least one syringe 102 , each of which may be independently filled with a medical fluid, such as contrast medium, saline solution, or any desired medical fluid.
- the injector 100 may be used during a medical procedure as described herein to inject the medical fluid into the body of a patient by driving a plunger 104 of the at least one syringe 102 with at least one piston (not shown).
- the injector 100 may be a multi-syringe injector, wherein several syringes 102 may be oriented in a side-by-side or other arrangement and include plungers 104 separately actuated by respective pistons associated with the injector 100 . In examples with two syringes arranged in a side-by-side relationship and filled with two different medical fluids, the injector 100 may deliver fluid from one or both of the syringes 102 .
- the injector 100 has a control mechanism 106 for controlling operation of at least one operating parameter of injector 100 , such as the injection pressure, volume, and/or flow rate of fluid delivered from at least one of the syringes 102 .
- the injector 100 has a housing 108 formed from a suitable structural material, such as plastic or metal, that encloses various components for delivering fluid from the syringes 102 .
- the housing 108 may have various shapes and sizes depending on a desired application.
- the injector 100 includes at least one syringe port 110 for connecting the at least one syringe 102 to respective piston elements.
- the at least one syringe 102 includes at least one syringe retaining member for retaining the syringe 102 within a syringe port 110 of the injector 100 .
- the at least one syringe retaining member operatively engages a locking mechanism provided on or in the syringe port 110 of the injector 100 to facilitate loading and/or removal of the syringe 102 to and from the injector 100 .
- At least one fluid path set 112 may be fluidly connected with the at least one syringe 102 for delivering medical fluid from the at least one syringe 102 to a catheter, needle, or other fluid delivery device (not shown) inserted into a patient at a vascular access site.
- Fluid flow from the at least one syringe 102 may be regulated by a fluid control module.
- the fluid control module may operate various pistons, valves, and/or flow regulating structures to regulate the delivery of the medical fluid, such as saline solution and contrast medium, to the patient based on user selected injection parameters, such as injection flow rate, duration, total injection volume, and/or ratio of contrast medium and saline.
- FIG. 33 An example of a suitable front-loading fluid injector 100 that may be modified for use with the above-described system including at least one syringe 102 and at least one syringe interface loading and releasable retaining of the at least one syringe 102 with the fluid injector 100 described herein with reference to FIG. 33 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,383,858 to Reilly et al.; 9,173,995 to Tucker et al.; and 9,199,033 to Cowen et al., each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
- Another example of a multi-fluid delivery systems that may be modified for use with the present system is found in U.S. Pat. No.
- first and second injection fluids such as contrast and saline
- substantially equal pressure must be present in each delivery line.
- first and second injection fluids such as contrast and saline
- substantially equal pressure must be present in each delivery line.
- first and second injection fluids such as contrast and saline
- one plunger element is actuated to deliver the desired fluid while the other plunger element is held in place. If the injector is operated with differential pressure in each delivery line of the fluid path set, fluid in the lower pressure line may be stopped or reversed until sufficient pressure is achieved in the lower pressure line to enable flow in a desired direction. This time delay could reduce the image quality.
- the fluid in the lower pressure side may also begin to store fluid pressure energy against the fluid in the higher pressure line. As the stored fluid pressure energy in the lower pressure side continues to build, the lower pressure will eventually achieve the same pressure as the higher pressure fluid as it exits into the catheter tubing. Due to the stored fluid pressure energy in the lower pressure side, the flow rate of the lower pressure fluid can rapidly accelerate into the catheter tubing, particularly when the pressure in the high pressure fluid is reduced.
- an overall flow rate through the catheter is understood to be the combined flow rate of the first fluid (in one example, saline solution) and the second fluid (in one example, contrast medium) exiting from the catheter.
- the overall flow rate is equal to the flow rate of the saline solution.
- a fluid system may have a first flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fluid, a second flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fluid, and an overall flow rate corresponding to the combination of flow rates of the first and second fluids. As shown in FIGS. 31 and 33 , as the contrast medium is initially directed through the catheter, the overall flow rate of the system equals the flow rate of the contrast medium and gradually increases to a desired steady-state flow rate.
- the desired overall flow rate exiting the catheter is 3 mL/s.
- a volume of saline solution is subsequently directed through the catheter to flush the contrast into the patient.
- a sudden spike or increase in the overall flow rate is experienced in the system.
- this spike or increase in the overall flow rate lasts for a specified duration and increases the overall flow rate of the system to a flow rate greater than the desired overall flow rate.
- the overall flow rate may increase to 5.5 mL/s, which is 2.5 mL/s higher than desired for the injection protocol. Therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to dampen the sudden spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting the catheter, for example by reducing the height of the spike and/or the duration of the spike, by adjusting a flow profile of the saline solution and/or the flow profile of the contrast medium during a transition between the delivery of the contrast medium to the delivery of the saline solution.
- a contrast medium with a higher viscosity may contribute to a larger spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting from the catheter than a contrast medium with a lower viscosity (e.g., 10 cP).
- the desired overall flow rate of the fluid exiting from the catheter may also affect the severity of the sudden spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting the catheter.
- a higher desired overall flow rate e.g., 5 mL/s
- a lower desired overall flow rate e.g., 2 mL/s.
- contrast medium-to-saline may become inaccurate due to the stored fluid pressure energy in the lower pressure saline syringe or line.
- the contrast medium may be injected at a significantly higher ratio relative to saline, such as 80% contrast medium to 20% saline injection protocol.
- the flow reversal may be exacerbated at high injection pressures. In small dosage injections at a high injection pressure, flow reversal may effectively stop the delivery of saline such that up to 100% contrast medium is injected, rather than the desired 80% contrast medium to 20% saline ratio. Similar inaccuracies may occur at various other injection protocols, including, but not limited to 20% contrast medium to 80% saline ratio.
- Total system capacitance also referred to as compliance or the ability to store a fluid volume and/or hydraulic energy
- Total system capacitance represents the amount of suppressed fluid (i.e., backflow volume) that is captured in the swelling of the fluid injector system components or compression of fluid injector system components, such as the fluid lines and/or syringe(s) due to pressure applied to a medical fluid during an injection process.
- Total system capacitance is inherent to each fluid injection system and depends on a plurality of factors, including injector construction, mechanical properties of materials used to construct the syringe, plunger, pressure jacket surrounding the syringe, fluid lines delivering the contrast medium and saline to a flow mixing device, size or surface area of the syringe, plunger, pressure jacket, compression or deflection of syringe injector components, etc.
- the amount of back or reverse flow increases when the relative speed difference between the two plungers is large, the simultaneous fluid flow is through a small restriction, the speed of the total fluid injection is large, and/or the viscosity of the fluid is high.
- the back or reverse flow can prevent different ratios of simultaneously delivered fluid from occurring in certain injections, which can be a detriment for two-syringe type fluid injector systems.
- capacitance is directly correlative to injection pressure and inversely correlative to volume of contrast medium and saline in the syringes.
- capacitance during an injection at 1200 psi with 150 mL of contrast medium and saline remaining in certain medical injector syringes is around 10 mL.
- the capacitance volume can be from about 5 mL to about 9 mL.
- Capacitance is also a function of the ratio at which the first and second injection fluids, such as contrast and saline, are injected.
- backflow volume is minimized because the capacitance on the contrast medium side is equal to the capacitance on the saline side of the fluid injection system such that substantially equal pressures are present in each delivery line. Backflow may occur in situations where first and second injection fluids are delivered through long fluid conduits. However, as the injection ratio of contrast and saline changes, backflow volume increases corresponding to the increase in the ratio.
- capacitance in a particular injector system can occur in several different locations during an injection procedure of the system.
- the catheter tubing 200 of the system may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure, which can affect the flow rates of the fluids through the tubing 200 .
- the catheter 210 itself may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure, which can affect the flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter 210 .
- the syringe 220 of the injector system may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure. The swelling of the syringe 220 may occur in the form of radial expansion and/or axial expansion of the syringe 220 .
- the syringe interface 230 may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure.
- the syringe interface 230 is the connection between the syringe 220 and the injector system.
- the syringe interface 230 may include locking mechanisms, O-rings or other sealing members that can experience swelling and/or compression during the injection procedure.
- locking features 235 on the syringe, such as flanges or lugs may compress or bend under the applied pressure.
- a piston head 240 in the injector system may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure, for example if there is mechanical play between the piston head 240 and the corresponding syringe plunger.
- compression forces may create swelling in the piston head 240 .
- the piston 250 may experience bending, torqueing, swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure. Due to the forces exerted by and on the piston 250 , compression forces may create swelling in the piston 250 and corresponding reduction in piston length.
- a polymeric cover 260 is provided on piston head 240 or syringe plunger assembly, the polymeric cover 260 may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure.
- a strain gauge cap 270 positioned in the injector system on an end of piston 250 may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure.
- the strain gauge cap 270 is configured to stretch to measure strain in piston 250
- the injection procedure may create additional swelling and/or compression in the strain gauge cap 270 .
- One or more of these or other factors may contribute to the overall capacitance volume of an injector system. Depending on the type of injection procedure or system, all of these factors may contribute to overall capacitance of the injector system or only a subset of these factors may contribute to overall capacitance of the injector system. The value of the contribution of each factor may differ from other factors.
- a fluid flow profile of at least one of a first fluid 30 and a second fluid 32 is adjusted based on a function of the flow rate of one of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 to minimize or dampen the spike or increase in the overall flow rate of fluid exiting from the catheter during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 to delivering the other of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 .
- one solution for improving (i.e., reducing) the overall capacitance of the injector system is to increase the stiffness of one or more of the components of the injector system subject to capacitance, to reduce swelling and/or compression in the one or more components.
- the stiffness of one of the catheter tubing 200 , the catheter 210 , the syringe 220 , the syringe interface 230 , the piston head 240 , the piston 250 , the polymeric cover 260 , and the strain gauge cap 270 may be increased to reduce swelling and/or compression in the components of the injector system.
- a pressure jacket may be placed around an outer surface of syringe 220 to reduce radial swelling under injection pressure.
- the various embodiments of the methods described herein may be applied to injection procedures including simultaneous injection of fluid from two or more syringes or, alternatively, to reduce pressure and fluid flow spikes associated with transition from one fluid to another fluid during sequential injection of two or more fluids from two or more syringes, for example when transitioning from a contrast injection to a saline injection, or vice versa.
- various embodiments of the methods herein include delaying or ramping the application of pressure to the second fluid 22 until the pressure of the first fluid 20 has reached a predetermined pressure.
- This predetermined pressure may be a low equilibrium pressure that provides a smooth flow rate of fluid through the fluid injection system.
- the second fluid 22 may be more viscous than the first fluid 20 .
- the second fluid 22 may be contrast medium and the first fluid 20 may be saline.
- pressure may be applied to the first fluid 20 via a plunger 26 until the pressure of the first fluid 20 has reached the predetermined pressure. As shown in FIG.
- the same predetermined pressure may be applied to the second fluid 22 via a plunger 28 , resulting in the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 having a substantially similar flow rate through the fluid injection system.
- This system and method reduces the rapid increases in first fluid 20 pressure through the fluid injection system, which often causes erratic flow and inaccurate volumes of the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 being injected in the patient.
- the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 can reach the same predetermined pressure at substantially the same time.
- the predetermined pressure will be dependent upon several factors, including, among others, the diameter of the catheter that is used to inject the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 into the patient, the viscosity of the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 , the capacitance of the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 syringes and overall capacitance of the injector system, and/or the inner diameter of the tubing used to deliver the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 to the catheter. It is also contemplated that this fluid injection system may be automated with the use of a controller 24 that controls the actuation of each of a pair of motors 25 , 27 that are configured to move the pair of plungers 26 , 28 that are used to apply pressure to the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 .
- the controller 24 may be programmed to delay applying or ramping the application of pressure to the second fluid 22 until the first fluid 20 has reached the predetermined pressure.
- the controller 24 may be a processor configured to store several different protocols for injection procedures based upon one or more of predetermined pressures for the fluid injection system, syringe volumes, catheter, the first fluid 20 type and/or volume to be delivered, the second fluid 22 type and/or volume to be delivered, flow rates of the first fluid 20 and/or the second fluid 22 , system capacitance, fluid temperature, tubing type and/or diameter, and/or patient depending on the procedure.
- a user of the fluid injection system may input this identifying information into the controller 24 , which will calculate the proper predetermined pressure to apply to the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 during the injection procedure to minimize pressure and flow spikes at fluid transitions.
- the first fluid 20 may be more viscous than the second fluid 22 .
- the process described above in reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 would be switched to apply an initial pressure to the second fluid 22 before applying pressure to the first fluid 20 .
- the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 may have substantially equal viscosities. In this example, equal pressures may be applied to the first fluid 20 and the second fluid 22 at the outset of the process.
- a first fluid 30 and a second fluid 32 may be provided in a fluid injection system in which plungers 34 , 36 driven by motors 35 , 37 apply pressure to the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 , respectively.
- the second fluid 32 may be more viscous than the first fluid 30 .
- the second fluid 32 may be contrast medium and the first fluid 30 may be saline.
- a controller 38 may be operatively connected to the motors 35 , 37 to control the rate of pressure applied to the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 by the plungers 34 , 36 .
- the controller 38 may be programmed to apply pressure to the first fluid 30 based on the pressure that is being applied to the second fluid 32 . As the second fluid 32 is pushed through the fluid injection system, the controller 38 may correspondingly change the pressure applied to the first fluid 30 by the plunger 34 . For example, if a certain pressure is being applied to the second fluid 32 by the plunger 36 , the controller 38 may instruct the plunger 34 to apply a proportionally larger pressure to the first fluid 30 to compensate for the resistance of the more viscous second fluid 32 . Using the controller 38 in this manner, the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 may flow through the fluid injection system at substantially equal flow rates, thereby minimizing any erratic flow in the fluid injection system.
- the first fluid 30 may be more viscous than the second fluid 32 .
- the process described above in reference to FIG. 7 would be switched to apply a proportionally larger pressure to the second fluid 32 in comparison to the pressure applied to the first fluid 30 .
- the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 may have substantially equal viscosities.
- equal pressures may be applied to the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 at the outset.
- a more viscous fluid may be diluted with a less viscous fluid, or vice versa, so that the ⁇ -Viscosity between the two injected fluids is minimized.
- ⁇ -Viscosity may also be reduced by heating a fluid having a higher viscosity, for example to a temperature close to body temperature, prior to the injection procedure.
- the fluid injection system may pause or hold the injection procedure, or pause injection or one or both fluids, to allow both fluids 30 , 32 to achieve a steady-state pressure to reduce any stored energy in the fluid injection system.
- the fluid injection system can pause or hold the injection procedure while pressure is applied to either the first fluid 30 or the second fluid 32 to equalize the flow rates of the fluids 30 , 32 .
- the overall flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter is measured during the injection procedure.
- the information regarding the overall flow rate is sent as real-time feedback information to the controller 38 to permit the controller 38 to adjust the pressures applied to the first fluid 30 and/or second fluid 32 to equalize the flow rates through the fluid injection system to ensure a consistent overall flow of fluid is exiting from the catheter into the patient’s blood vessel.
- a sensor 300 for example an ultrasonic mass flow rate sensor or other suitable flow rate sensor, is used to measure the overall flow rate in real-time of at least one of the first fluid 30 and second fluid 32 through the system. It is contemplated that the sensor 300 can be placed a various positions within the system.
- the sensor 300 is a sensor that clips onto the exterior of the fluid path set 112 to the catheter.
- the flow rate sensor may be internal and located within the fluid flow path. It is contemplated, however, that other flow rate sensing technologies could be used and alternative mounting scenarios could be used to position the sensor 300 on the fluid path set 112 .
- the sensor 300 provides a real-time feedback loop to the controller 38 to control one or more of the injection parameters based on the overall flow rate measured by the sensor 300 . In other embodiments, such a sensor arrangement could also be used with peristaltic systems and other continuous flow injector systems.
- an air sensor 310 is provided in line with the sensor 300 to measure the air content in the fluid flowing through the fluid path set 112 .
- the information measured by the air sensor 310 may also be fed back to the controller 38 to control one or more of the injection parameters.
- pressure applied to a plunger for a first viscous fluid 30 may be ramped down and pressure applied to a plunger of a second less viscous fluid 20 may be ramped up or one or more other fluid injection parameters may adjusted as appropriate so that the real-time feedback from a flow sensor indicates that the flow rate of the fluid exiting a catheter is substantially constant, for example not varying by more than 2.0 mL/sec, 1.5 mL/sec, 1.0 mL/sec, 0.5 mL/sec, 0.25 mL/sec, or even 0.1 mL/sec during transition from the first fluid 30 to the second fluid 20 .
- a check valve 40 may also be provided in the fluid injection system.
- the check valve 40 may be positioned in-line with the tubing of the first fluid 30 . Using this check valve 40 , the first fluid 30 will only flow into the second fluid 32 flow until a predetermined pressure is achieved by the first fluid 30 .
- the predetermined pressure may be substantially equal to the desired flow rate pressure of the second fluid 32 .
- the check valve 40 may be chosen based on the desired predetermined pressure. With the use of the check valve 40 , the second fluid 32 is not permitted to flow back into the tubing of the first fluid 30 , thereby reducing the expansion of the second fluid 32 syringe and/or first fluid 30 syringe under the extra pressure.
- the check valve 40 may be positioned in-line with the tubing of the first fluid 30 to prevent the first fluid 30 from opening the check valve 40 until a predetermined pressure has been applied to the first fluid 30 . According to this example, capacitance build up in the first syringe 30 is reduced by eliminating any component from the pressure applied to the second fluid 32 .
- a check valve 42 may be provided in-line with the tubing of the second fluid 32 portion of the fluid injection system. Similar to the check valve 40 on the first fluid 30 portion, the check valve 42 may be configured to control the flow of the second fluid 32 through the fluid injection system based on a desired predetermined pressure for the fluid injection system. The check valve 42 may be chosen according to the desired predetermined pressure.
- the controller 38 may control the amount of pressure applied to the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 via the motors 35 , 37 and plungers 34 , 36 .
- the controller 38 may monitor the pressures of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 and adjust the plungers 34 , 36 accordingly to maintain equal pressures in the fluid injection system.
- the peak pressure values in the fluid injection system can be significantly lowered.
- the pressure of the first fluid 30 can reach a predetermined pressure, while the check valve 42 does not release the second fluid 32 until the predetermined pressure on the second fluid 32 is also achieved, thereby reducing the amount of second fluid 32 that backflows into the first fluid 30 portion of the fluid injection system.
- the first fluid 30 may be brought to the predetermined pressure and then the second fluid 32 may be subsequently pressurized to be released through the check valve 42 . It is contemplated that the controller 38 can be programmed to initiate these pressurization procedures.
- the check valve 42 may be positioned in-line with the tubing of the second fluid 32 to prevent the second fluid 32 from opening the check valve 42 until a predetermined pressure has been applied to the second fluid 32 .
- the fluid injection system may include a check valve 40 on the first fluid 30 portion of the fluid injection system and a check valve 42 on the second fluid 32 portion of the fluid injection system.
- fluid pressure from the non-active portion of the fluid injection system may be eliminated or isolated until the active portion of the fluid injection system reaches the same fluid pressure.
- fluid pressure from the second fluid 32 may be eliminated or isolated in the fluid injection system until the fluid pressure of the first fluid 30 reaches a predetermined pressure or an equal pressure to the second fluid 32 .
- the check valves 40 , 42 may be chosen based on the desired predetermined pressure of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 .
- a controller 38 may also be used in this arrangement to control the pair of motors 35 , 37 that actuate the plungers 34 , 36 that apply pressure to the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 .
- the controller 38 may be pre-programmed with information regarding the threshold pressures for the check valves 40 , 42 , and user input on information on the first fluid 30 and second fluid 32 may be used to coordinate the proper pressures applied by the plungers 34 , 36 to the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 .
- the check valves 40 , 42 may be high crack pressure check valves configured to reduce or essentially eliminate the backflow in the fluid injection system.
- the high crack pressure check valves 40 , 42 may be check valves that allow flow in one direction with a relatively low pressure drop.
- the high crack pressure check valves 40 , 42 may have a high opening or cracking pressure that may be above or near the maximum operating pressure of the fluid injection system.
- One example of such a high cracking pressure valve may include a spool valve having an internal sliding element that can block fluid flow.
- the valve may include a resistive force element, such as a spring or a pressurized bladder, to resist the movement of the sliding element.
- the open position of the check valves 40 , 42 can be adjusted so that the check valves 40 , 42 are partially open to control the flow of fluid through the check valves 40 , 42 .
- the check valves 40 , 42 may be adjusted manually or automatically by the controller 38 . Based on the flow rates of the first fluid 30 and/or the second fluid 32 , the check valves 40 , 42 can be partially opened, fully opened, or closed to achieve a desired flow rate of the fluid 30 , 32 through the check valve 40 , 42 .
- another method of reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates in and providing accurate fluid mixing ratios to the patient is through the use of an over-travel and fast-controlled reverse pull of the plunger 34 within the first fluid 30 syringe to at least partially compensate for any undelivered first fluid 30 in the fluid injection system due to capacitance volume of the system.
- the second fluid 32 may be more viscous than the first fluid 30 .
- the over-travel position and fast-controlled reverse pull of the plunger 34 may be calculated according to the amount of potential stored volume in the first fluid 30 syringe based on the desired fluid pressure and the plunger 34 position at the end of the first fluid 30 injection procedure.
- the motor 35 is activated to drive the plunger 34 , which causes transition of the plunger 34 from a first initial position P1 plunger (shown in dashed lines) to a second extended position P2 plunger , thereby advancing the plunger 34 a corresponding delivery distance D1 plunger .
- a pre-set volume of the first fluid 30 is delivered from the interior of the first fluid 30 syringe to a downstream location.
- the syringe During delivery of the first fluid 30 from the interior of the syringe to the downstream location, the syringe swells and the system otherwise increases in capacitance volume as described herein, in such a manner that it is radially displaced from its initial configuration. As the plunger 34 is advanced longitudinally within the syringe to dispel liquid from the interior of the syringe, the first fluid 30 imparts an axial force to the wall of the syringe.
- the plunger 34 can be programmed to over-travel a sufficient longitudinal distance to compensate for system capacitance, such as the expansion of the syringe when under resulting axial pressure.
- the motor 35 is actuated by the controller 38 , which causes further transition of the plunger 34 from the second extended position P2 plunger (shown in dashed lines) to a third over-travel position P3 plunger , thereby advancing the plunger 34 a corresponding delivery distance D2 plunger .
- a pre-determined volume of the first fluid 30 is delivered from the interior of the syringe to the downstream location to compensate for the under-delivery of fluid from the interior of the syringe as a result of the capacitance volume of the first fluid 30 syringe during transition from the first initial position to the second extended position.
- the plunger 34 may be rapidly driven back in order to compensate for the increased pressures within the fluid injection system resulting from the over-travel of the plunger 34 .
- the controller 38 activates the motor 35 , which causes transition of the plunger 34 from the third over-travel position P3 plunger to the retracted position, thereby retracting the plunger 34 a corresponding retraction distance. This rapid backwards retraction of the plunger 34 relieves the swelling of the syringe and depressurizes the system.
- the rapid back-drive of the plunger 34 can be on the order of about 20 mL/s to 30 mL/s, for example 25 mL/s. This depressurization of the system allows the linear travel of the plunger 34 to coincide with the actual commanded location, irrespective of capacitance volume.
- the process described above in reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 would be switched to apply an over-travel and fast-controlled reverse pull of the plunger 36 within the second fluid 32 syringe to compensate for any undelivered second fluid 32 in the fluid injection system.
- the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 may have substantially equal viscosities. In this example, equal pressures may be applied to the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 at the outset of the process.
- the contrast medium In typical fluid injection systems with saline and contrast medium fluids, the contrast medium has a higher viscosity than the saline. Due to this difference in viscosity, it is often difficult to apply the correct pressure to each fluid to achieve a uniform pressure between the two fluids to create a smooth flow of the mixture of the two fluids to the downstream location or sequential flow of the fluids without a flow spike at the fluid transition. As described herein, the higher viscosity of the contrast medium may cause backflow in the fluid injection system and/or swelling of the syringes holding the saline and/or contrast medium.
- the saline used in the fluid injection system may be replaced with an alternative fluid that has similar properties to saline but has a higher viscosity to substantially match the higher viscosity of the contrast medium.
- the saline may be replaced with a Ringers Lactate solution, which has a viscosity similar to blood or low viscosity contrast mediums.
- the pressure required to deliver the Ringers Lactate solution through the fluid injection system is higher than saline, which leads to a smaller difference between the pressure to move the Ringers Lactate solution and that needed to move the more viscous contrast medium resulting in lower spikes or jumps in the flow rates of the two fluids.
- the Ringers Lactate solution will also have a higher density than saline, which will reduce the density exchange between the Ringers Lactate solution and the contrast medium.
- the second fluid 32 syringe may be designed with a lower capacitance (stored volume under pressure) than conventional syringes to reduce the effect of backflow into the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the first fluid 30 may be more viscous than the second fluid 32 .
- a pressure jacket 44 may be provided around the outer surface of at least the second fluid 32 syringe to restrict the swelling in at least the second fluid 32 syringe due to backflow of second fluid 32 . By providing the pressure jacket 44 , the outer circumferential surface of the second fluid 32 syringe is reinforced, thereby limiting the amount of expansion or swelling in the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the pressure jacket 44 is configured to lower the capacitance of the second fluid 32 syringe, which results in a more accurate volume of the second fluid 32 being provided at the downstream location.
- the pressure jacket 44 may be made from a hard, medical-grade plastic, composite, or metal to provide the sufficient rigidity to the second fluid 32 syringe.
- an additional pressure jacket 46 may be provided around the outer circumferential surface of the first fluid 30 syringe. The pressure jacket 46 will assist in also lowering the capacitance of the first fluid 30 syringe, thereby providing more accurate volumes of the first fluid 30 at the downstream location.
- the pressure jacket 44 may be provided on the first fluid 30 syringe and the additional pressure jacket 46 may be provided on the second fluid 32 syringe.
- an obstruction member 48 may be provided in the second fluid 32 syringe to increase the fluid pressure of the second fluid 32 through the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the first fluid 30 may be more viscous than the second fluid 32 .
- the obstruction member 48 may include an opening 50 configured to increase the fluid pressure of the second fluid 32 based on the desired fluid pressure through the fluid injection system.
- the opening 50 may be circular. However, it is contemplated that alternative shapes for the opening may be used, along with additional openings in the obstruction member 48 .
- the obstruction member 48 is configured to increase the fluid pressure of the second fluid 32 so the second fluid 32 tubing of the fluid injection system does not decompress during the fluid injection process. Further, the increased fluid pressure of the second fluid 32 will decrease the amount of backflow that is directed to the second fluid 32 syringe, which may expand or swell the second fluid 32 syringe. The increased pressure of the second fluid 32 may be substantially equal to the pressure of the first fluid 30 . In the example where the second fluid 32 is more viscous than the first fluid 30 , the obstruction member 48 may be provided in the first fluid 30 syringe to increase the fluid pressure of the first fluid 30 through the first fluid 30 syringe.
- the second fluid 32 syringe may include a reduced inner diameter to create a similar obstruction. As shown in FIG. 15 , the inner diameter of the second fluid 32 syringe has been reduced from a larger diameter (shown in dashed lines) to a smaller diameter to increase the fluid pressure of the second fluid 32 through the fluid injection system. The inner diameter of the second fluid 32 syringe may be reduced in only a portion of the second fluid 32 syringe or the inner diameter of the second fluid 32 syringe may be reduced along the entire length of the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the reduced inner diameter of the second fluid 32 syringe is configured to increase the fluid pressure of the second fluid 32 so the second fluid 32 tubing of the fluid injection system does not decompress during the fluid injection process. Further, the increased fluid pressure of the second fluid 32 will decrease the amount of backflow that is directed to the second fluid 32 syringe, which may result in the expansion or swelling of the second fluid 32 syringe. The reduced inner diameter will also assist in bringing the pressure of the second fluid 32 to a substantially equal pressure as the first fluid 30 . In the example where the second fluid 32 is more viscous than the first fluid 30 , the inner diameter of the first fluid 30 syringe may be reduced to create a similar obstruction.
- the first fluid 30 may be more viscous than the second fluid 32 .
- an external restriction member 52 may be provided around at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the external restriction member 52 may be cylindrical in shape. However, it is contemplated that alternative shapes and sizes may be used with the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the external restriction member 52 may define an aperture through which the second fluid 32 syringe may be inserted.
- the external restriction member 52 may be provided via a friction-fit on the second fluid 32 syringe to control the flow rate of the second fluid 32 through the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the external restriction member 52 may reduce the swelling or expansion of the second fluid 32 syringe due to any backflow into the second fluid 32 syringe, thereby reducing the capacitance of the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the external restriction member 52 may apply pressure to the outer surface of the second fluid 32 syringe, thereby restricting the flow of the second fluid 32 through the second fluid 32 syringe. Pressure may be applied by the external restriction member 52 by decreasing the diameter of the aperture defined by the external restriction member 52 . It is also contemplated that the pressure applied by the external restriction member 52 may be controlled by the controller 38 .
- the controller 38 may be programmed to adjust the pressure applied by the external restriction member 52 and the diameter size of the aperture defined by the external restriction member 52 based on the fluid pressures in the fluid injection system, the capacitance of the second fluid 32 syringe and the first fluid 30 syringe, the catheter size, and the viscosities of the second fluid 32 and the first fluid 30 , among other factors.
- the controller 38 may also be programmed to adjust the diameter size of the aperture defined by the external restriction member 52 based on the timing of the fluid injection procedure. In the example where the second fluid 32 is more viscous than the first fluid 30 , the external restriction member 52 may be provided around a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first fluid 30 syringe.
- the second fluid 32 may be more viscous than the first fluid 30 .
- This method includes the use of an equalizing flow valve 56 to monitor and control the flow rates of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 .
- the equalizing flow valve 56 may be positioned in the fluid injection system at a location where the first fluid 30 tubing and the second fluid 32 tubing connect with one another.
- the equalizing flow valve 56 may monitor the flow rates of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 and adjust an orifice defined by the equalizing flow valve 56 to maintain the desired delivery flow rates of the two fluids.
- the equalizing flow valve 56 may be connected to a controller 38 , which also actuates the motors 35 , 37 that drive the plungers 34 , 36 in the fluid injection system based on real-time feedback readings from equalizing flow valve 56 .
- the controller 38 with the equalizing flow valve 56 , the pressure applied by the plungers 34 , 36 can be adjusted according to the flow rates of the two fluids through the equalizing flow valve 56 .
- the controller 38 may be programmed to read the flow rates of the two fluids through the equalizing flow valve 56 and adjust the pressure applied by the plungers 34 , 36 accordingly to ensure that the second fluid 32 and the first fluid 30 have substantially equal pressures.
- the controller 38 and/or equalizing flow valve 56 may be pre-programmed according to the types of fluids used in the fluid injection system, fluid volumes, syringe features, catheter size, the capacitance of the fluid injection system, and/or the desired flow rates of the two fluids, which information may be stored in the controller 38 .
- An operator may manually input the information regarding the fluid injection system into the controller 38 , which will assist in adjusting the plunger 34 , 36 pressure and/or the equalizing flow valve 56 accordingly to obtain the desired flow rates of the two fluids.
- the first fluid 30 may be more viscous than the second fluid 32 .
- an operator will likely know the pressures that are to be applied by the plungers 34 , 36 and the volume of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 in the fluid injection system.
- the operator can adjust the plunger 36 of the second fluid 32 syringe accordingly to account for the extra stored volume of the second fluid 32 due to the capacitance of the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the plunger 36 may be pulled back from the second fluid 32 syringe equal to a capacitance volume of the second fluid 32 syringe, which will reduce the pressure to zero in the second fluid 32 syringe.
- the second fluid 32 may then be injected at the desired flow rate without experiencing any swelling or expansion in the second fluid 32 syringe. It is also contemplated that the plunger 36 may be pulled back by an instruction from the controller 38 .
- the controller 38 may be programmed to pull the plunger 36 from the second fluid 32 syringe in an amount equal to the capacitance volume of the second fluid 32 syringe. For example, if the second fluid 32 syringe capacitance is 10 mL, the plunger 32 may be pulled from a starting position P1 (shown in dashed lines) to a new position P2 to compensate for the extra volume that will be stored in the second fluid 32 syringe during the fluid injection procedure. In the example where the second fluid 32 is more viscous than the first fluid 30 , the process described above with reference to FIG. 18 may be used with the first fluid 30 syringe.
- a test injection procedure using the first fluid 30 and second fluid 32 may be performed before the actual diagnostic phase, using the same flow rates as will be used from the diagnostic injection procedure.
- a pressure measurement of the first fluid 30 phase is obtained during the test injection procedure, which gives an indication of the expected pressure for the programmed flow rate under the current tubing and patient conditions.
- This measured pressure value is recorded and used during the diagnostic injection procedure to modify the flow rate of at least one of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 to modify the flow rate and fluid flow profile of at least one of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 to compensate for capacitance in the injector system.
- the flow rate modification is achieved by temporarily changing a pressure limit of one of the fluids 30 , 32 in an adaptive flow algorithm used by a controller 38 to control the pressures of the fluid injection system.
- a series of flow algorithms may be programmed into a controller 38 or processor based on set of pre-programmed injection protocols.
- one or more algorithms may be determined and programmed into the controller 38 that utilize various system parameters for a specific injection setup and protocol, such as, for example, fluid volumes and types, temperature, syringe volumes and types, desired flow rates, target organ or body part for imaging, patient information, etc., where the algorithms utilize the various parameters to calculate and appropriate injection protocol for the injection procedure.
- a spike in saline flow rate may occur when the fluid passing through the catheter suddenly changes in viscosity, for example during a transition from contrast to saline, resulting in a drop in the pressure at the restriction point of the catheter. During this period of pressure drop, any fluid stored in the compliance of a disposable set or system capacitance holding the fluid is released through the catheter.
- contrast medium is initially directed through the catheter. After the contrast medium has been injected, the saline is injected and begins to flow through the catheter.
- a transition period occurs when the flow rate of the contrast medium begins to decrease through the catheter and the flow rate of the saline begins to increase through the catheter. During this transition period, the viscosity of the fluid flowing through the catheter suddenly and quickly changes, which results in a spike of the saline flow rate through the catheter. Due to the short transition period that occurs during the switch between injecting the contrast medium and injecting the saline, an increased drop in pressure is created, which causes an increased saline flow rate spike in the fluid exiting the catheter.
- a more gradual viscosity/pressure gradient may be achieved during the injection procedure.
- the same volume of fluid is released over a longer period of time, so the average flow rate magnitude of the saline spike is reduced.
- the flow rate of the contrast medium is gradually and slowly reduced, while the flow rate of saline is gradually and slowly increased.
- the change in viscosity of the fluid through the catheter is gradual, resulting in a decreased drop of the pressure in the catheter.
- the extended transition period may be achieved in such a manner that does not increase the volume of contrast medium that is delivered during the injection procedure and does not degrade the efficacy of the injection procedure.
- non-linear or non-continuous extended transition periods could be used, which would result in less impact to the image taken of the patient, and taking advantage of the fluid dynamics of the fluid injection system.
- real-time fluid flow rate measurements in a feedback loop to a processor may allow the processor to adjust the contrast and saline flow rates appropriately to minimize any spike in fluid flow rate during transition from one fluid to another.
- the viscosity of the first fluid 30 or the second fluid 32 is adjusted to minimize or dampen the spike or increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 to delivering the other of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 .
- a volume of the first fluid 30 is added to the second fluid 32 to dilute the overall viscosity of the second fluid 32 . Since the first fluid 30 has a lower viscosity, the first fluid 30 will dilute the second fluid 32 and reduce the overall viscosity of the second fluid 32 .
- the viscosity of the first fluid 32 is increased to match the viscosity of the second fluid 32 .
- the transition of flow between the delivery of one of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 and the delivery of the other of the first fluid 30 and the second fluid 32 does not create such a large spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting from the catheter.
- FIGS. 19 - 27 several methods are described for reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates by using several different catheter designs to control the erratic flow of fluid to the patient’s blood vessel.
- the following methods are configured to reduce the amount of kick-back or pull out the catheter experiences when the erratic flow of the contrast medium is delivered through the fluid injection system.
- one method of reducing kick-back in the catheter 60 is to provide a rigid member 62 along the longitudinal length of the catheter 60 .
- the rigid member 62 may be a wire.
- the rigid member 62 may be attached to the outer surface of the catheter 60 or embedded in the walls of the catheter 60 .
- the rigid member 62 may be configured to stiffen the catheter 60 from bending during injection of the erratic fluid from the fluid injection system. By stiffening the catheter 60 with the rigid member 62 , the catheter 60 may be less likely to kick-back or pull out of the injection site when the erratic flow is delivered through the catheter 60 . By reducing the kick-back of the catheter 60 , the catheter 60 may be less likely to extend into the surrounding tissue of the patient.
- another method of reducing kick-back in the catheter 60 is to provide a sheath or braided member 63 on an outer circumferential surface of the catheter 60 .
- the sheath 63 may extend along the length of the catheter 60 or may only be provided on a distal end of the catheter 60 .
- the inner diameter of the sheath 63 may be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the catheter 60 so that the catheter 60 may fit within the sheath 63 .
- the sheath 63 may be made of stainless steel wire interlaced together, nylon, Kevlar, spectra fiber, or any other suitably flexible material that is safe to insert into a patient’s blood vessel.
- the sheath 63 and catheter 60 are substantially deflated within the patient’s blood vessel ( FIG. 20 A ).
- the fluid expands the inner diameter of the catheter 60 to permit fluid to flow therethrough ( FIG. 20 B ).
- the sheath 63 also begins to expand. The catheter 60 expands until the catheter 60 and the sheath 63 have expanded to their respective maximum outer diameters.
- the outer diameter of the sheath 63 may be substantially equal to an inner diameter of at least a portion of a blood vessel so that the outer diameter of the catheter 60 is constrained by the sheath 63 to keep the catheter 60 from expanding to a diameter larger than the diameter of a blood vessel.
- the fluid exiting the catheter 60 remains coaxial with the catheter 60 . Since the inner diameter of the catheter 60 expands slowly under pressure when initially deflated, the jetting velocity and acceleration of the fluid through the catheter 60 is reduced, which also reduces any kick-back or rapid movement of the catheter 60 in the patient’s blood vessel.
- sheath 63 may be secured to the inner walls to stabilize catheter 60 within the blood vessel or may seal the needle hole entrance in the blood vessel, thereby reducing the risk of rapid movement of the catheter.
- another method of reducing kick-back in the catheter 60 is to provide a split tip 64 on the distal end of the catheter 60 .
- the split tip 64 may define an aperture 66 through which the fluid may be delivered to the patient.
- the split tip 64 may be configured to remain in a closed position in which the aperture 66 also remains closed.
- the split tip 64 will not open until a predetermined or sufficient pressure is provided by the fluid in the catheter 60 .
- the aperture 66 of the split tip 64 upon reaching this predetermined pressure, the aperture 66 of the split tip 64 will open and allow the fluid to be delivered into the patient’s vein.
- the split tip 64 assists in reducing the erratic flow of the fluid that is permitted to exit from the catheter 60 .
- the fluid is unable to exit into the patient’s vein until the predetermined pressure is achieved, which stabilizes the fluid in the catheter 60 before injection into the patient. It is also contemplated that different shapes and number of apertures in the split tip 64 may be utilized to improve the stability of the catheter 60 .
- another method of reducing kick-back in the catheter 60 includes providing an over-molded tip 68 on the distal end of the catheter 60 .
- the over-molded tip 68 may be configured to overlap the distal end of the catheter 60 .
- the over-molded tip 68 may be configured to open and allow the fluid to exit the distal end of the catheter 60 upon the fluid reaching a predetermined or threshold pressure.
- the over-molded tip 68 is configured to remain closed during use of the catheter 60 , until a certain pressure is obtained by the fluid.
- the over-molded tip 68 will open and move away from the opening of the distal end of the catheter 60 (as shown in FIG. 24 ), thereby permitting the fluid to exit into the patient’s blood vessel.
- the over-molded tip 68 assists in reducing the erratic flow of the fluid that is permitted to exit from the catheter 60 .
- the fluid is unable to exit into the patient’s vein until the predetermined pressure is achieved, which stabilizes the fluid in the catheter 60 before injection into the patient. It is also contemplated that different shapes of the over-molded tip 68 may be utilized to improve the stability of the catheter 60 .
- another method of reducing kick-back in the catheter 60 includes tapering the inside diameter of the catheter 60 to allow more steady flow of fluid through the catheter 60 .
- the inner diameter may start at a smaller dimension at a proximal end 70 of the catheter 60 .
- the inner diameter will taper or increase outwardly to the distal end 72 of the catheter 60 , which will have a larger inner diameter than the proximal end 70 .
- proximal end 70 of the catheter 60 By tapering the inner diameter in this fashion such that the proximal end has a smaller diameter, a reduction in the proximal hoop stress on the catheter 60 tubing at the proximal end 70 of the catheter 60 is achieved, and a reduction in the kick-back or rapid movement of the catheter 60 by lowering the acceleration of the fluid as it exits the catheter 60 may be achieved. It is contemplated that the catheter 60 may begin to taper at different locations along the length of the catheter 60 . However, proximal end 70 of the catheter 60 will always have a smaller inner diameter than the distal end 72 of catheter 60 . It is contemplated that the dimensions of the inner diameter at proximal end 70 and distal end 72 may vary in catheter 60 .
- another method of reducing kick-back in the catheter 60 includes providing a balloon tip 74 on an end of the catheter 60 .
- the balloon tip 74 may be made from a flexible material so the balloon tip 74 can be stretched.
- the balloon tip 74 may be inflatable and deflatable based on the amount of fluid that is directed through the balloon tip 74 .
- the balloon tip 74 may be provided on the distal end 72 of the catheter 60 .
- FIG. 26 when fluid is not being provided through the catheter 60 , the balloon tip 74 is deflated and rests in the blood vessel 76 of the patient on the distal end 72 of the catheter 60 .
- FIG. 26 when fluid is not being provided through the catheter 60 , the balloon tip 74 is deflated and rests in the blood vessel 76 of the patient on the distal end 72 of the catheter 60 .
- FIG. 26 when fluid is not being provided through the catheter 60 , the balloon tip 74 is deflated and rests in the blood vessel 76 of the patient on the distal end
- the balloon tip 74 upon fluid being injected through the catheter 60 , the balloon tip 74 is inflated by the liquid and is directed out of the balloon tip 74 via an aperture 78 .
- the balloon tip 74 When fluid is directed through the balloon tip 74 , the balloon tip 74 is expanded to substantially the same inner diameter size as the blood vessel 76 .
- the balloon tip 74 may assist in centering the flow of the liquid through the blood vessel 76 .
- the balloon tip 74 may also anchor the catheter 60 to the inner walls of the blood vessel 76 to seal any puncture holes in the blood vessel 76 from leaking any injected fluid into the surrounding tissue. This sealing feature is particularly advantageous when the catheter 60 punctures through both walls of the blood vessel 76 and is then slightly pulled back into the blood vessel 76 .
- the balloon tip 74 will assist in sealing any accidental punctures in the blood vessel 76 walls to reduce any contrast medium or saline leaking into the surrounding tissue.
Abstract
A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel includes delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, and adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
Description
- This application is a continuation application of U.S. Application Serial No. 17/157,506, filed Jan. 25, 2021, which is a continuation application of U.S. Application Serial No. 16/081,202, filed Aug. 30, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,898,638, which is a 371 national phase application of PCT International Application No. PCT/US2017/020637, filed Mar. 3, 2017, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. Application No. 62/303,050, filed Mar. 3, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.
- The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for reducing the occurrence of spikes in flow rates for a fluid delivery system having a fluid pumping device for delivery of two or more medical fluids in applications in medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
- In many medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, a physician or trained clinician injects fluid into a patient. For example, a physician may inject saline and/or an imaging contrast medium into a patient to help improve the visibility of internal body structures during one or more X-ray/CT imaging, MRI imaging, or other imaging procedure. To inject the saline and/or contrast medium, the clinician may use a manual injection syringe or may, alternatively, use a powered fluid injection system. A catheter is coupled to the manual injection syringe or injection device and is used to inject the saline and/or contrast medium into the patient (such as into a vessel in the patient’s hand or arm). The contrast medium and saline are provided from separate sources, such as bags, bottles, or syringes, and, in certain cases, may be mixed together before injection into the patient. However, several problems may develop during use of certain capacitive pressure injection systems and syringes, including spikes in fluid flow rates, extravasation and/or infiltration, saline or contrast medium contamination during injection due to backflow of the fluids, real-time injection ratio inaccuracies, or kick-back in catheter tubes that are inserted into patients.
- Extravasation and infiltration are often characterized as an accidental infusion of an injection fluid, such as a contrast medium (extravasation) or saline (infiltration), into tissue surrounding a blood vessel rather than into the blood vessel itself. Extravasation and infiltration can be caused, for example, by a fragile vascular system, valve disease, inaccurate needle placement, sudden changes in fluid flow, or patient movement resulting in the injected needle being pulled from the intended vessel or pushed through the wall of the vessel.
- Additional extravasation and/or infiltration issues may occur when using both a contrast medium and saline for a procedure. As shown in
FIG. 1 , initially, no pressure is applied to thecontrast medium 10 orsaline 12, resulting in no flow through the fluid injector system. As shown inFIG. 2 , pressure is then applied to thecontrast medium 10 resulting in a pressure build up and initial backflow ofcontrast medium 10 into thesaline 12 at point A. As a result, the flow rate of thecontrast medium 10 may be reduced due to the effect of backflow and expansion in thecontrast medium 10 bag or syringe andsaline 12 bag or syringe due to the injection fluid pressure. Further, thesaline 12 bag or syringe may expand depending on the particular capacitance of thesaline 12 bag or syringe. As shown inFIG. 3 , the flow rate and pressure of thecontrast medium 10 may continue to increase, thereby stabilizing the pressure in the injector system. As shown inFIG. 4 , due to the higher viscosity of thecontrast medium 10, the pressure applied to thesaline 12 must be increased further until resistance to the flow of thesaline 12 drops and thesaline 12 is directed into thecontrast medium 10 flow at point B. Until thesaline 12 reaches a pressure that is substantially similar to thecontrast medium 10, thesaline 12 stores pressure energy during thecontrast medium 10 injection. When thesaline 12 piston begins immediately after thecontrast medium 10 injection stops, however, the flow rate of thesaline 12 increases rapidly (higher than the flow rate programmed for the saline 12) due to the stored pressure energy (capacitance), sending an increased amount ofsaline 12 to mix with thecontrast medium 10. This increased flow rate or flow spike can cause a rapid fluid acceleration in the catheter. The syringes or bags of the injector system will begin to deflate as the pressure within the syringes or bags decreases due to the uniform flow ofcontrast medium 10 and/orsaline 12. The rapid increase in flow rate for thesaline 12 creates a transition to turbulence that causes the resistance to slightly rise again, causing oscillations in the flow. Eventually, a stable flow rate is reached at a lower equilibrium pressure. However, due to the initial backflow and increased pressure in the fluid injector system, an increased injection pressure and/or flow rate ofcontrast medium 10 orsaline 12 may be experienced. - With further reference made to
FIG. 1 and the injection process described above, also due to the initial backflow and increased pressure in the fluid injector system, accurate flow rates ofcontrast medium 10 andsaline 12 are not always provided to the patient. Accurate flow rates of thecontrast medium 10 andsaline 12 may be achieved in average. However, for short periods of time until the system achieves steady state, the flow rates may be ramping, slowing down, peaking, and may not be particularly precise. In one scenario, thecontrast medium 10 injection may be followed by thesaline 12 injection, which causes asaline 12 overrate to the patient. In another scenario, a dual flow simultaneous injection of thecontrast medium 10 and thesaline 12 may cause inaccurate ratios of thecontrast medium 10 andsaline 12 until the system stabilizes. - An additional factor that may contribute to the problem of inaccurate fluid mixing ratios is the backflow of fluid that occurs in injections where the
viscous contrast medium 10 is injected at a higher ratio than the lessviscous saline 12. In such a scenario, before a uniform fluid flow is established, the fluid pressure of the moreviscous contrast medium 10 that is injected at a higher ratio may act against the fluid pressure of the lessviscous saline 12 that is injected at a lower ratio to force thecontrast medium 10 to reverse the desired direction of flow. After injection, pressures equalize and the fluid injection system achieves a steady state operation where thecontrast medium 10 andsaline 12 are injected at a desired ratio. However, in small volume injections, steady state operation may not be achieved prior to the completion of the injection process and the fluid mixing ratio ofcontrast medium 10 andsaline 12 being delivered to the patient may not be accurately achieved. Thus, even though a desired ratio ofcontrast medium 10 andsaline 12 may be 80%contrast medium 10 to 20%saline 12, the actual ratio due to backflow ofcontrast medium 10 into thesaline 12 may be higher. This problem is further compounded with an increase in injection pressure. In one particular example of a fluid injector system, the syringes are typically always pointing upwards and are used for multiple patients throughout an entire day. Therefore,contrast medium 10 may backflow into the saline syringe and sink to the bottom of the saline syringe. By the time multiple patients have been treated and multiple injections have been performed, the saline syringe may be substantially filled with contrast medium thereby contaminating and reducing the amount of thesaline fluid 12. - An additional complication with known multi-fluid injector systems is a kickback or rapid movement of the catheter in the patient’s body as a result of the erratic flow of the contrast medium or saline. In many known multi-fluid injector systems, the saline and contrast medium tubing is connected to a catheter that is used for injecting the fluids into the patient. However, due to the backflow of the saline and/or contrast medium and the rapid acceleration of contrast medium or saline into the fluid line of the multi-fluid injector system during fluid transitions, the catheter may at least partially kick-back or otherwise change position within the patient vasculature. Fluid accelerations may be caused by nozzle effects in the catheter and rapid increases in flow rate during contrast medium-to-saline transitions. The nozzle on the catheter may accelerate the fluid from a lower flow rate in the tubing of the catheter to an increased flow rate exiting the catheter. The transition from a contrast medium injection to a saline injection causes a rapid flow rate increase. The force imparted to the catheter may cause undesired movement of the catheter. Complications related to extravasation and infiltration, inaccurate fluid mixing ratios, and catheter kickback and rapid movement may include unnecessary pain and discomfort to the patient. There is a current need for a system that provides accurate flow rates of saline and/or contrast medium to a patient, thereby reducing the risk of extravasation and/or infiltration. There is also a current need for a catheter design that reduces kickback and rapid movement of the catheter during injection of a fluid into a patient’s blood vessel.
- In view of the foregoing, a need exists for an improved fluid delivery system for fluid delivery applications in medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. There is an additional need in the medical field for a fluid delivery system that provides a more precise and efficient flow rate or ratio of fluids during initial injection procedures compared to existing fluid delivery systems. Existing fluid delivery systems do not always provide accurate flow rates or mixing ratios of the desired fluids resulting in the risk of extravasation and/or infiltration. There is a current need for a fluid delivery system that allows an individual to quickly and accurately provide the necessary flow rate or ratio of fluids to a patient.
- In one example, a method of maintaining a substantially uniform overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel includes delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, and adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- In another example, the method further includes delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate. The method may include adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate. The method may include pressurizing the first fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the first fluid. The method may include pressurizing the second fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the second fluid. The method may include pressurizing the first fluid and the second fluid using separate check valves to a first predetermined pressure and a second predetermined pressure, respectively, before delivering the first fluid and the second fluid.
- The method may include over-delivering a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during the delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid. The method may include diluting one of the first fluid and the second fluid with a predetermined volume of the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- The method may include providing a multi-fluid injection system including a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and reducing a capacitance of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to prevent backflow of at least one of the second fluid into the first syringe and the first fluid into the second syringe. The method may include providing a pressure jacket around an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe under pressure.
- The method may include providing a multi-fluid injection system including a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and wherein at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe includes a reduced inside diameter to correspond to a desired flow rate. The method may include providing an obstruction member within at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce the inner diameter of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- The method may include providing a multi-fluid injection system including a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel, and providing an external restriction member on an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe; and adjusting an inner diameter of the external restriction member to adjust a permitted swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- The method may include controlling one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using an equalizing flow valve based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate. The method may include adjusting at least one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate before delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid based on at least one of known operating fluid pressure and capacitance of a multi-fluid injection system used to deliver the first fluid and the second fluid. The method may include increasing a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of first fluid and the second fluid.
- In another example, a controller for a multi-fluid injection system configured to maintain an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the system includes a processor configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to: deliver at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, deliver at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, and adjust at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- In another example, the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to increase a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid. The processor may also be further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to delay the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate. The processor may also be further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to over-deliver a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Further examples will now be described in the following numbered clauses.
- Clause 1: A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the method comprising: delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate; delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate; and adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 2: The method of
Clause 1, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate. - Clause 3: The method of
Clause 1 orClause 2, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate. - Clause 4: The method of any of Clauses 1-3, further comprising pressurizing the first fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the first fluid.
- Clause 5: The method of any of Clauses 1-4, further comprising pressurizing the second fluid using a check valve to a predetermined pressure before delivering the second fluid.
- Clause 6: The method of any of Clauses 1-5, further comprising pressurizing the first fluid and the second fluid using separate check valves to a first predetermined pressure and a second predetermined pressure, respectively, before delivering the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 7: The method of any of Clauses 1-6, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises over-delivering a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during the delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 8: The method of any of Clauses 1-7, further comprising diluting one of the first fluid and the second fluid with a predetermined volume of the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 9: The method of any of Clauses 1-8, further comprising: providing a multi-fluid injection system comprising: a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and reducing a capacitance of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to prevent backflow of at least one of the second fluid into the first syringe and the first fluid into the second syringe.
- Clause 10: The method of Clause 9, further comprising providing a pressure jacket around an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe under pressure.
- Clause 11: The method of any of Clauses 1-10, further comprising: providing a multi-fluid injection system comprising: a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and wherein at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe includes a reduced inside diameter to correspond to a desired flow rate.
- Clause 12: The method of Clause 11, further comprising providing an obstruction member within at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe to reduce the inner diameter of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- Clause 13: The method of any of Clauses 1-12, further comprising: providing a multi-fluid injection system comprising: a first syringe for receiving the first fluid and a first plunger movable within a barrel of the first syringe to pressurize the first fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; and a second syringe for receiving the second fluid and a second plunger movable within a barrel of the second syringe to pressurize the second fluid for delivery to the patient’s blood vessel; providing an external restriction member on an outer circumference of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe; and adjusting an inner diameter of the external restriction member to adjust a permitted swelling of at least one of the first syringe and the second syringe.
- Clause 14: The method of any of Clauses 1-13, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises controlling one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using an equalizing flow valve based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
- Clause 15: The method of any of Clauses 1-14, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting at least one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate before delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid based on at least one of known operating fluid pressure and capacitance of a multi-fluid injection system used to deliver the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 16: The method of any of Clauses 1-15, wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises increasing a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 17: A multi-fluid injection system configured to maintain an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the system comprising: a processor configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to: deliver at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate; deliver at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate; and adjust at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 18: The controller of Clause 17, wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to increase a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- Clause 19: The controller as claimed in Clause 17 or Clause 18, wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to delay the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
- Clause 20: The controller as claimed in any of Clauses 17-19, wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to over-deliver a predetermined volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid during delivery of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid.
- These and other features and characteristics of the fluid injection system, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structures and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claim with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the disclosure. As used in the specification and the claim, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
-
FIGS. 1-4 are schematic views depicting known methods of injecting a first fluid and a second fluid to a patient using a fluid injection system; -
FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic views depicting a fluid injection system according to one example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 7 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 8 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 9 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 10 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure showing a plunger in an extended position; -
FIG. 11 is a schematic view depicting the fluid injection system ofFIG. 10 with the plunger in an over-travel position; -
FIG. 12 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 13 is a front view of a syringe according to an example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view depicting a syringe of a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure along line A-A inFIG. 13 ; -
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view depicting a syringe of a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 16 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 17 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 18 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 19 is a front view of a catheter including a rigid member according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 20A is a front view of a catheter including a sheath provided on an outer circumferential surface thereof in a deflated position; -
FIG. 20B is a front view of the catheter and sheath ofFIG. 20A in an inflated position; -
FIGS. 21 and 22 are front views of a catheter according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIGS. 23 and 24 are front views of a catheter according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a catheter according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIGS. 26 and 27 are cross-sectional views of a catheter inserted into a patient’s blood vessel according to another example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 28 is a graphical illustration of a transition period between injecting contrast medium and injecting saline during current multi-fluid injection procedures; -
FIG. 29 is a graphical illustration of an extended transition period between injecting contrast medium and injecting saline according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a multi-fluid injection system according to an example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 31 is a graph depicting an overall flow rate of fluid exiting a catheter with a contrast medium to saline transition; -
FIG. 32 is a graph depicting an overall flow rate of fluid exiting a catheter with a saline to saline transition; -
FIG. 33 is an annotated graph depicting an overall flow rate of fluid exiting a catheter with a contrast medium to saline transition; -
FIG. 34 is a graph depicting several different overall catheter flowrates of varying contrast medium viscosity; -
FIG. 35 is a graph depicting several different overall catheter flowrates; -
FIG. 36A is a schematic of a multi-fluid injection system according to an example of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 36B is a cross-sectional view of the multi-fluid injection system ofFIG. 30 ; and -
FIG. 37 is a schematic view depicting a fluid injection system according to another example of the present disclosure. - For the purposes of the description hereinafter, spatial orientation terms, if used, shall relate to the referenced example as it is oriented in the accompanying drawings, figures, or otherwise described in the following detailed description. However, it is to be understood that the examples described hereinafter may assume many alternative variations and examples. It is also to be understood that the specific systems illustrated in the accompanying drawings, figures, and described herein are simply exemplary and should not be considered as limiting.
- Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views thereof, several systems and methods are provided for reducing incidences of infiltration and/or extravasation, reducing the occurrence of spikes or sudden changes in fluid flow rates during an injection procedure, ensuring accurate flow rates and mixing ratios of fluids are delivered to the patient, and reducing kickback and rapid movement of a catheter during a transition from one injected fluid to another fluid. In a typical multi-fluid injection procedure, an injection fluid, such as a contrast medium, is delivered from a contrast medium source to the patient using a powered or manual injector. The injected contrast medium is delivered to a desired site in a patient’s body through a catheter inserted into the patient’s body, such as the arm. Once the contrast medium is delivered to the desired site, the area is imaged using a conventional imaging technique, such as computed tomography (CT), angiography imagining, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or other imaging or scanning technique. The contrast medium becomes clearly visible against the background of the surrounding tissue. However because the contrast medium may comprise toxic substances, it is desirable to reduce contrast dosing to the patient, while maintaining an effective contrast amount necessary for accurate imaging. By supplementing an overall contrast medium delivery procedure with saline, the saline flushes the contrast medium to the area of interest and additional hydration of the patient occurs automatically and aids the body in removing the contrast medium. In addition to improved patient comfort level and less toxicity, introduction of saline at clinically significant pressures and flow rates also allows higher flow rates to be achieved at lower pressure settings on the injector.
- In one example, as shown in
FIG. 30 , a fluid injector 100 (hereinafter referred to as “injector 100”), such as an automated or powered fluid injector, is adapted to interface with and actuate at least onesyringe 102, each of which may be independently filled with a medical fluid, such as contrast medium, saline solution, or any desired medical fluid. Theinjector 100 may be used during a medical procedure as described herein to inject the medical fluid into the body of a patient by driving aplunger 104 of the at least onesyringe 102 with at least one piston (not shown). Theinjector 100 may be a multi-syringe injector, whereinseveral syringes 102 may be oriented in a side-by-side or other arrangement and includeplungers 104 separately actuated by respective pistons associated with theinjector 100. In examples with two syringes arranged in a side-by-side relationship and filled with two different medical fluids, theinjector 100 may deliver fluid from one or both of thesyringes 102. Theinjector 100 has acontrol mechanism 106 for controlling operation of at least one operating parameter ofinjector 100, such as the injection pressure, volume, and/or flow rate of fluid delivered from at least one of thesyringes 102. - The
injector 100 has ahousing 108 formed from a suitable structural material, such as plastic or metal, that encloses various components for delivering fluid from thesyringes 102. Thehousing 108 may have various shapes and sizes depending on a desired application. Theinjector 100 includes at least onesyringe port 110 for connecting the at least onesyringe 102 to respective piston elements. In some examples, the at least onesyringe 102 includes at least one syringe retaining member for retaining thesyringe 102 within asyringe port 110 of theinjector 100. The at least one syringe retaining member operatively engages a locking mechanism provided on or in thesyringe port 110 of theinjector 100 to facilitate loading and/or removal of thesyringe 102 to and from theinjector 100. - At least one fluid path set 112 may be fluidly connected with the at least one
syringe 102 for delivering medical fluid from the at least onesyringe 102 to a catheter, needle, or other fluid delivery device (not shown) inserted into a patient at a vascular access site. Fluid flow from the at least onesyringe 102 may be regulated by a fluid control module. The fluid control module may operate various pistons, valves, and/or flow regulating structures to regulate the delivery of the medical fluid, such as saline solution and contrast medium, to the patient based on user selected injection parameters, such as injection flow rate, duration, total injection volume, and/or ratio of contrast medium and saline. An example of a suitable front-loadingfluid injector 100 that may be modified for use with the above-described system including at least onesyringe 102 and at least one syringe interface loading and releasable retaining of the at least onesyringe 102 with thefluid injector 100 described herein with reference toFIG. 33 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,383,858 to Reilly et al.; 9,173,995 to Tucker et al.; and 9,199,033 to Cowen et al., each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Another example of a multi-fluid delivery systems that may be modified for use with the present system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,553,294 to Lazzaro et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,666,169 to Cowan et al.; International Patent Publication No. WO 2012/155035; and U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2014/0027009 to Riley et al.; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. - To enable effective simultaneous flow delivery of first and second injection fluids, such as contrast and saline, substantially equal pressure must be present in each delivery line. In a powered injection systems described herein, in a dual flow mode it is desirable to actuate the plunger elements substantially simultaneously in simultaneous flow delivery applications to equalize the pressure in each line. Alternatively, in a single flow mode, one plunger element is actuated to deliver the desired fluid while the other plunger element is held in place. If the injector is operated with differential pressure in each delivery line of the fluid path set, fluid in the lower pressure line may be stopped or reversed until sufficient pressure is achieved in the lower pressure line to enable flow in a desired direction. This time delay could reduce the image quality. The fluid in the lower pressure side may also begin to store fluid pressure energy against the fluid in the higher pressure line. As the stored fluid pressure energy in the lower pressure side continues to build, the lower pressure will eventually achieve the same pressure as the higher pressure fluid as it exits into the catheter tubing. Due to the stored fluid pressure energy in the lower pressure side, the flow rate of the lower pressure fluid can rapidly accelerate into the catheter tubing, particularly when the pressure in the high pressure fluid is reduced.
- As shown in
FIGS. 31 and 33 , when delivering contrast medium and, subsequently, saline solution to a patient’s blood vessel, a spike or sudden increase in an overall flow rate of fluid exiting the catheter may be experienced during a flow transition between the contrast medium and the saline. In one example, an overall flow rate through the catheter is understood to be the combined flow rate of the first fluid (in one example, saline solution) and the second fluid (in one example, contrast medium) exiting from the catheter. In one example, in which there is no flow of contrast medium through the catheter, the overall flow rate is equal to the flow rate of the saline solution. In another example, in which there is no flow of saline solution through the catheter, the overall flow rate is equal to the flow rate of the contrast medium. In another example, in which there is flow of saline solution and contrast medium through the catheter, the overall flow rate is equal to the combined flow rates of the saline solution and the contrast medium. Therefore, a fluid system may have a first flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the first fluid, a second flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the second fluid, and an overall flow rate corresponding to the combination of flow rates of the first and second fluids. As shown inFIGS. 31 and 33 , as the contrast medium is initially directed through the catheter, the overall flow rate of the system equals the flow rate of the contrast medium and gradually increases to a desired steady-state flow rate. InFIG. 33 , in one example, the desired overall flow rate exiting the catheter is 3 mL/s. Once a sufficient volume of contrast medium has been directed through the catheter and into the patient’s blood vessel, a volume of saline solution is subsequently directed through the catheter to flush the contrast into the patient. As the delivery of the more viscous contrast medium transitions to the delivery of less viscous saline solution from the catheter, a sudden spike or increase in the overall flow rate is experienced in the system. As shown inFIG. 33 , this spike or increase in the overall flow rate lasts for a specified duration and increases the overall flow rate of the system to a flow rate greater than the desired overall flow rate. As shown, the overall flow rate may increase to 5.5 mL/s, which is 2.5 mL/s higher than desired for the injection protocol. Therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to dampen the sudden spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting the catheter, for example by reducing the height of the spike and/or the duration of the spike, by adjusting a flow profile of the saline solution and/or the flow profile of the contrast medium during a transition between the delivery of the contrast medium to the delivery of the saline solution. Several different methods and arrangements for dampening the increase in overall flow rate exiting the catheter and reducing the duration of the increased overall flow rate are described below. - As shown in
FIG. 32 , in a system delivering only saline solution to a patient, there is no sudden spike or increase observed in the overall flow rate exiting the catheter when switching from one saline syringe to another. In fact, the system may experience a slight temporary decrease in the overall flow rate exiting the catheter. As shown inFIG. 34 , the difference in viscosity of the contrast medium used in the system compared to that of the saline (Δ-Viscosity) may also affect the severity of the sudden spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting the catheter. For example, a contrast medium with a higher viscosity (e.g., 26 cP) may contribute to a larger spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting from the catheter than a contrast medium with a lower viscosity (e.g., 10 cP). As shown inFIG. 35 , the desired overall flow rate of the fluid exiting from the catheter may also affect the severity of the sudden spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting the catheter. For example, a higher desired overall flow rate (e.g., 5 mL/s) may contribute to a larger spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting from the catheter than a lower desired overall flow rate (e.g., 2 mL/s). - Further, the fluid mixing ratio of contrast medium-to-saline may become inaccurate due to the stored fluid pressure energy in the lower pressure saline syringe or line. The contrast medium may be injected at a significantly higher ratio relative to saline, such as 80% contrast medium to 20% saline injection protocol. The flow reversal may be exacerbated at high injection pressures. In small dosage injections at a high injection pressure, flow reversal may effectively stop the delivery of saline such that up to 100% contrast medium is injected, rather than the desired 80% contrast medium to 20% saline ratio. Similar inaccuracies may occur at various other injection protocols, including, but not limited to 20% contrast medium to 80% saline ratio.
- The above-described situation of flow reversal during powered injections at high contrast medium-to-saline ratio may occur at least in part due to injection system capacitance. Total system capacitance (also referred to as compliance or the ability to store a fluid volume and/or hydraulic energy) represents the amount of suppressed fluid (i.e., backflow volume) that is captured in the swelling of the fluid injector system components or compression of fluid injector system components, such as the fluid lines and/or syringe(s) due to pressure applied to a medical fluid during an injection process. Total system capacitance is inherent to each fluid injection system and depends on a plurality of factors, including injector construction, mechanical properties of materials used to construct the syringe, plunger, pressure jacket surrounding the syringe, fluid lines delivering the contrast medium and saline to a flow mixing device, size or surface area of the syringe, plunger, pressure jacket, compression or deflection of syringe injector components, etc. The amount of back or reverse flow increases when the relative speed difference between the two plungers is large, the simultaneous fluid flow is through a small restriction, the speed of the total fluid injection is large, and/or the viscosity of the fluid is high. The back or reverse flow can prevent different ratios of simultaneously delivered fluid from occurring in certain injections, which can be a detriment for two-syringe type fluid injector systems.
- In general, capacitance is directly correlative to injection pressure and inversely correlative to volume of contrast medium and saline in the syringes. For example, in one example, capacitance during an injection at 1200 psi with 150 mL of contrast medium and saline remaining in certain medical injector syringes is around 10 mL. In another example, the capacitance volume can be from about 5 mL to about 9 mL. Capacitance is also a function of the ratio at which the first and second injection fluids, such as contrast and saline, are injected. At a 50%-50% ratio, where contrast and saline are injected in equal amounts, backflow volume is minimized because the capacitance on the contrast medium side is equal to the capacitance on the saline side of the fluid injection system such that substantially equal pressures are present in each delivery line. Backflow may occur in situations where first and second injection fluids are delivered through long fluid conduits. However, as the injection ratio of contrast and saline changes, backflow volume increases corresponding to the increase in the ratio.
- With reference to
FIG. 36 , capacitance in a particular injector system can occur in several different locations during an injection procedure of the system. In particular, in one example, thecatheter tubing 200 of the system may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure, which can affect the flow rates of the fluids through thetubing 200. In another example, thecatheter 210 itself may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure, which can affect the flow rate of the fluid exiting thecatheter 210. In another example, thesyringe 220 of the injector system may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure. The swelling of thesyringe 220 may occur in the form of radial expansion and/or axial expansion of thesyringe 220. In another example, thesyringe interface 230 may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure. Thesyringe interface 230 is the connection between thesyringe 220 and the injector system. In one example, thesyringe interface 230 may include locking mechanisms, O-rings or other sealing members that can experience swelling and/or compression during the injection procedure. In another example, locking features 235 on the syringe, such as flanges or lugs may compress or bend under the applied pressure. In another example, apiston head 240 in the injector system may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure, for example if there is mechanical play between thepiston head 240 and the corresponding syringe plunger. Due to the forces exerted by and on thepiston head 240, compression forces may create swelling in thepiston head 240. In another example, thepiston 250 may experience bending, torqueing, swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure. Due to the forces exerted by and on thepiston 250, compression forces may create swelling in thepiston 250 and corresponding reduction in piston length. In another example where apolymeric cover 260 is provided onpiston head 240 or syringe plunger assembly, thepolymeric cover 260 may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure. In another example, astrain gauge cap 270 positioned in the injector system on an end ofpiston 250 may experience swelling and/or compression during an injection procedure. Although thestrain gauge cap 270 is configured to stretch to measure strain inpiston 250, the injection procedure may create additional swelling and/or compression in thestrain gauge cap 270. One or more of these or other factors (such as compression of the medical fluid or gas bubbles therein) may contribute to the overall capacitance volume of an injector system. Depending on the type of injection procedure or system, all of these factors may contribute to overall capacitance of the injector system or only a subset of these factors may contribute to overall capacitance of the injector system. The value of the contribution of each factor may differ from other factors. - While several different factors that can affect the overall flow rate or an individual flow rate of one of the fluids in the injector system have been described, it is also contemplated that other factors may also affect these flow rates. The state of the particular flow of fluid through the injector system and the particular flow transition physics (laminar versus turbulent flow) during fluid mixing, fluid flow past fluid path components, and exiting from the catheter into the patient’s blood vessel, the temperature of the contrast medium may increase the viscosity of the contrast medium, and the higher flow rates for cardiac CT and other advanced imaging applications may also affect these flow rates.
- Solutions to the problem of reducing backflow to compensate for system capacitance, for example in a high contrast medium-to-saline ratio, and thereby reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates and providing more accurate mixing ratios of fluids to the patient are described herein. In all of the examples described herein, a fluid flow profile of at least one of a
first fluid 30 and asecond fluid 32 is adjusted based on a function of the flow rate of one of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 to minimize or dampen the spike or increase in the overall flow rate of fluid exiting from the catheter during a transition between delivering one of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 to delivering the other of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32. - In one embodiment, one solution for improving (i.e., reducing) the overall capacitance of the injector system is to increase the stiffness of one or more of the components of the injector system subject to capacitance, to reduce swelling and/or compression in the one or more components. In one example, the stiffness of one of the
catheter tubing 200, thecatheter 210, thesyringe 220, thesyringe interface 230, thepiston head 240, thepiston 250, thepolymeric cover 260, and thestrain gauge cap 270 may be increased to reduce swelling and/or compression in the components of the injector system. In another embodiment, a pressure jacket may be placed around an outer surface ofsyringe 220 to reduce radial swelling under injection pressure. - The various embodiments of the methods described herein may be applied to injection procedures including simultaneous injection of fluid from two or more syringes or, alternatively, to reduce pressure and fluid flow spikes associated with transition from one fluid to another fluid during sequential injection of two or more fluids from two or more syringes, for example when transitioning from a contrast injection to a saline injection, or vice versa.
- As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6 , due to the additional time that is needed for the correct pressure to be achieved in the less viscousfirst fluid 20, various embodiments of the methods herein include delaying or ramping the application of pressure to thesecond fluid 22 until the pressure of thefirst fluid 20 has reached a predetermined pressure. This predetermined pressure may be a low equilibrium pressure that provides a smooth flow rate of fluid through the fluid injection system. In one example, thesecond fluid 22 may be more viscous than thefirst fluid 20. In one example, thesecond fluid 22 may be contrast medium and thefirst fluid 20 may be saline. As shown inFIG. 5 , initially, pressure may be applied to thefirst fluid 20 via aplunger 26 until the pressure of thefirst fluid 20 has reached the predetermined pressure. As shown inFIG. 6 , after thefirst fluid 20 has reached the predetermined pressure, the same predetermined pressure may be applied to thesecond fluid 22 via aplunger 28, resulting in thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 having a substantially similar flow rate through the fluid injection system. This system and method reduces the rapid increases infirst fluid 20 pressure through the fluid injection system, which often causes erratic flow and inaccurate volumes of thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 being injected in the patient. By allowing the pressure of thefirst fluid 20 to reach a predetermined pressure before thesecond fluid 22, thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 can reach the same predetermined pressure at substantially the same time. The predetermined pressure will be dependent upon several factors, including, among others, the diameter of the catheter that is used to inject thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 into the patient, the viscosity of thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22, the capacitance of thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 syringes and overall capacitance of the injector system, and/or the inner diameter of the tubing used to deliver thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 to the catheter. It is also contemplated that this fluid injection system may be automated with the use of acontroller 24 that controls the actuation of each of a pair ofmotors plungers first fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22. In this example, thecontroller 24 may be programmed to delay applying or ramping the application of pressure to thesecond fluid 22 until thefirst fluid 20 has reached the predetermined pressure. Thecontroller 24 may be a processor configured to store several different protocols for injection procedures based upon one or more of predetermined pressures for the fluid injection system, syringe volumes, catheter, thefirst fluid 20 type and/or volume to be delivered, thesecond fluid 22 type and/or volume to be delivered, flow rates of thefirst fluid 20 and/or thesecond fluid 22, system capacitance, fluid temperature, tubing type and/or diameter, and/or patient depending on the procedure. In one example, a user of the fluid injection system may input this identifying information into thecontroller 24, which will calculate the proper predetermined pressure to apply to thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 during the injection procedure to minimize pressure and flow spikes at fluid transitions. In an alternative example, thefirst fluid 20 may be more viscous than thesecond fluid 22. In this example, the process described above in reference toFIGS. 5 and 6 , would be switched to apply an initial pressure to thesecond fluid 22 before applying pressure to thefirst fluid 20. It is also contemplated that thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 may have substantially equal viscosities. In this example, equal pressures may be applied to thefirst fluid 20 and thesecond fluid 22 at the outset of the process. - With reference to
FIG. 7 , another method for reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates and providing more accurate fluid mixing ratios with the fluid injection system is described. Afirst fluid 30 and asecond fluid 32 may be provided in a fluid injection system in which plungers 34, 36 driven bymotors first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32, respectively. In one example, thesecond fluid 32 may be more viscous than thefirst fluid 30. Thesecond fluid 32 may be contrast medium and thefirst fluid 30 may be saline. Acontroller 38 may be operatively connected to themotors first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 by theplungers controller 38 may be programmed to apply pressure to thefirst fluid 30 based on the pressure that is being applied to thesecond fluid 32. As thesecond fluid 32 is pushed through the fluid injection system, thecontroller 38 may correspondingly change the pressure applied to thefirst fluid 30 by theplunger 34. For example, if a certain pressure is being applied to thesecond fluid 32 by theplunger 36, thecontroller 38 may instruct theplunger 34 to apply a proportionally larger pressure to thefirst fluid 30 to compensate for the resistance of the more viscoussecond fluid 32. Using thecontroller 38 in this manner, thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 may flow through the fluid injection system at substantially equal flow rates, thereby minimizing any erratic flow in the fluid injection system. In another example, thefirst fluid 30 may be more viscous than thesecond fluid 32. In this example, the process described above in reference toFIG. 7 , would be switched to apply a proportionally larger pressure to thesecond fluid 32 in comparison to the pressure applied to thefirst fluid 30. It is also contemplated that thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 may have substantially equal viscosities. In this example, equal pressures may be applied to thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 at the outset. For example, in certain embodiments a more viscous fluid may be diluted with a less viscous fluid, or vice versa, so that the Δ-Viscosity between the two injected fluids is minimized. Δ-Viscosity may also be reduced by heating a fluid having a higher viscosity, for example to a temperature close to body temperature, prior to the injection procedure. - In another example, after pressure has been applied to the
first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32, the flow rate of each fluid 30, 32 is measured. In the event the flow rates are not equal to one another, the fluid injection system may pause or hold the injection procedure, or pause injection or one or both fluids, to allow bothfluids fluids first fluid 30 is not equal to the flow rate of thesecond fluid 32 the fluid injection system can pause or hold the injection procedure while pressure is applied to either thefirst fluid 30 or thesecond fluid 32 to equalize the flow rates of thefluids controller 38 to permit thecontroller 38 to adjust the pressures applied to thefirst fluid 30 and/orsecond fluid 32 to equalize the flow rates through the fluid injection system to ensure a consistent overall flow of fluid is exiting from the catheter into the patient’s blood vessel. As shown inFIG. 37 , in one example, a sensor 300, for example an ultrasonic mass flow rate sensor or other suitable flow rate sensor, is used to measure the overall flow rate in real-time of at least one of thefirst fluid 30 andsecond fluid 32 through the system. It is contemplated that the sensor 300 can be placed a various positions within the system. It is also contemplated that more than one sensor 300 is used to measure the overall flow rate of at least one of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 at different positions in the system. In one example, the sensor 300 is a sensor that clips onto the exterior of the fluid path set 112 to the catheter. In another embodiment, the flow rate sensor may be internal and located within the fluid flow path. It is contemplated, however, that other flow rate sensing technologies could be used and alternative mounting scenarios could be used to position the sensor 300 on the fluid path set 112. The sensor 300 provides a real-time feedback loop to thecontroller 38 to control one or more of the injection parameters based on the overall flow rate measured by the sensor 300. In other embodiments, such a sensor arrangement could also be used with peristaltic systems and other continuous flow injector systems. In another example, an air sensor 310 is provided in line with the sensor 300 to measure the air content in the fluid flowing through the fluid path set 112. The information measured by the air sensor 310 may also be fed back to thecontroller 38 to control one or more of the injection parameters. For example, pressure applied to a plunger for a firstviscous fluid 30 may be ramped down and pressure applied to a plunger of a second lessviscous fluid 20 may be ramped up or one or more other fluid injection parameters may adjusted as appropriate so that the real-time feedback from a flow sensor indicates that the flow rate of the fluid exiting a catheter is substantially constant, for example not varying by more than 2.0 mL/sec, 1.5 mL/sec, 1.0 mL/sec, 0.5 mL/sec, 0.25 mL/sec, or even 0.1 mL/sec during transition from thefirst fluid 30 to thesecond fluid 20. - As further shown in
FIG. 7 , acheck valve 40 may also be provided in the fluid injection system. Thecheck valve 40 may be positioned in-line with the tubing of thefirst fluid 30. Using thischeck valve 40, thefirst fluid 30 will only flow into thesecond fluid 32 flow until a predetermined pressure is achieved by thefirst fluid 30. The predetermined pressure may be substantially equal to the desired flow rate pressure of thesecond fluid 32. Thecheck valve 40 may be chosen based on the desired predetermined pressure. With the use of thecheck valve 40, thesecond fluid 32 is not permitted to flow back into the tubing of thefirst fluid 30, thereby reducing the expansion of thesecond fluid 32 syringe and/orfirst fluid 30 syringe under the extra pressure. In the example where thefirst fluid 30 is less viscous than thesecond fluid 32, thecheck valve 40 may be positioned in-line with the tubing of thefirst fluid 30 to prevent the first fluid 30 from opening thecheck valve 40 until a predetermined pressure has been applied to thefirst fluid 30. According to this example, capacitance build up in thefirst syringe 30 is reduced by eliminating any component from the pressure applied to thesecond fluid 32. - In a similar fashion, as shown in
FIG. 8 , acheck valve 42 may be provided in-line with the tubing of thesecond fluid 32 portion of the fluid injection system. Similar to thecheck valve 40 on thefirst fluid 30 portion, thecheck valve 42 may be configured to control the flow of thesecond fluid 32 through the fluid injection system based on a desired predetermined pressure for the fluid injection system. Thecheck valve 42 may be chosen according to the desired predetermined pressure. Using this system and method, thecontroller 38 may control the amount of pressure applied to thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 via themotors plungers controller 38 may monitor the pressures of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 and adjust theplungers check valve 42 on thesecond fluid 32 portion of the fluid injection system, the peak pressure values in the fluid injection system can be significantly lowered. Using this arrangement, the pressure of thefirst fluid 30 can reach a predetermined pressure, while thecheck valve 42 does not release thesecond fluid 32 until the predetermined pressure on thesecond fluid 32 is also achieved, thereby reducing the amount ofsecond fluid 32 that backflows into thefirst fluid 30 portion of the fluid injection system. In one example, thefirst fluid 30 may be brought to the predetermined pressure and then thesecond fluid 32 may be subsequently pressurized to be released through thecheck valve 42. It is contemplated that thecontroller 38 can be programmed to initiate these pressurization procedures. In the example where thefirst fluid 30 is more viscous than thesecond fluid 32, thecheck valve 42 may be positioned in-line with the tubing of thesecond fluid 32 to prevent the second fluid 32 from opening thecheck valve 42 until a predetermined pressure has been applied to thesecond fluid 32. - As shown in
FIG. 9 , it is also contemplated that the fluid injection system may include acheck valve 40 on thefirst fluid 30 portion of the fluid injection system and acheck valve 42 on thesecond fluid 32 portion of the fluid injection system. In this arrangement of the fluid injection system, fluid pressure from the non-active portion of the fluid injection system may be eliminated or isolated until the active portion of the fluid injection system reaches the same fluid pressure. For example, fluid pressure from thesecond fluid 32 may be eliminated or isolated in the fluid injection system until the fluid pressure of thefirst fluid 30 reaches a predetermined pressure or an equal pressure to thesecond fluid 32. Thecheck valves first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32. Using this arrangement, thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 are not mixed together in the fluid injection system until each fluid has reached the predetermined fluid pressure. Acontroller 38 may also be used in this arrangement to control the pair ofmotors plungers first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32. Thecontroller 38 may be pre-programmed with information regarding the threshold pressures for thecheck valves first fluid 30 andsecond fluid 32 may be used to coordinate the proper pressures applied by theplungers first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32. In another example, thecheck valves pressure check valves pressure check valves pressure check valves check valves check valves check valves check valves controller 38. Based on the flow rates of thefirst fluid 30 and/or thesecond fluid 32, thecheck valves check valve - As shown in
FIGS. 10 and 11 , another method of reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates in and providing accurate fluid mixing ratios to the patient is through the use of an over-travel and fast-controlled reverse pull of theplunger 34 within thefirst fluid 30 syringe to at least partially compensate for any undeliveredfirst fluid 30 in the fluid injection system due to capacitance volume of the system. In this arrangement, thesecond fluid 32 may be more viscous than thefirst fluid 30. The over-travel position and fast-controlled reverse pull of theplunger 34 may be calculated according to the amount of potential stored volume in thefirst fluid 30 syringe based on the desired fluid pressure and theplunger 34 position at the end of thefirst fluid 30 injection procedure. To determine the length of over-travel for theplunger 34 needed to receive the desired volume of thefirst fluid 30, the following equation is used to calculate theplunger 34 over-travel distance, as identified in U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2010/0222768 to Spohn et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety: -
- (Where: C1 = -0.811; C2 = 0.039; C3 = -0.00035; C4 = 9.05E-7; C5 = 0.0269; C6 = -4.43e-5; C7 = 2.607e-8; x axis = pressure; y axis = position) To receive the desired volume of the first fluid 30 from the fluid injection system, the
plunger 34 must be over-traveled the same amount and then theplunger 34 is pulled back in reverse to compensate for release of the capacitance volume of thefirst fluid 30 syringe. - With reference to
FIG. 10 , upon activation of thecontroller 38, themotor 35 is activated to drive theplunger 34, which causes transition of theplunger 34 from a first initial position P1plunger (shown in dashed lines) to a second extended position P2plunger, thereby advancing the plunger 34 a corresponding delivery distance D1plunger. As theplunger 34 is transitioned across the delivery distance D1plunger, a pre-set volume of thefirst fluid 30 is delivered from the interior of thefirst fluid 30 syringe to a downstream location. During delivery of the first fluid 30 from the interior of the syringe to the downstream location, the syringe swells and the system otherwise increases in capacitance volume as described herein, in such a manner that it is radially displaced from its initial configuration. As theplunger 34 is advanced longitudinally within the syringe to dispel liquid from the interior of the syringe, thefirst fluid 30 imparts an axial force to the wall of the syringe. - As shown in
FIG. 11 , in order to account for the under-delivery of fluid from the interior of the syringe due to the swelling of the syringe and other capacitance effects, theplunger 34 can be programmed to over-travel a sufficient longitudinal distance to compensate for system capacitance, such as the expansion of the syringe when under resulting axial pressure. In order to over-travel a specified longitudinal distance, themotor 35 is actuated by thecontroller 38, which causes further transition of theplunger 34 from the second extended position P2plunger (shown in dashed lines) to a third over-travel position P3plunger, thereby advancing the plunger 34 a corresponding delivery distance D2plunger. As theplunger 34 is transitioned across the delivery distance D2plunger, a pre-determined volume of thefirst fluid 30 is delivered from the interior of the syringe to the downstream location to compensate for the under-delivery of fluid from the interior of the syringe as a result of the capacitance volume of thefirst fluid 30 syringe during transition from the first initial position to the second extended position. - Once forward longitudinal movement of the
plunger 34 within the syringe is ceased, theplunger 34 may be rapidly driven back in order to compensate for the increased pressures within the fluid injection system resulting from the over-travel of theplunger 34. In order for theplunger 34 to retract to the retracted position, thecontroller 38 activates themotor 35, which causes transition of theplunger 34 from the third over-travel position P3plunger to the retracted position, thereby retracting the plunger 34 a corresponding retraction distance. This rapid backwards retraction of theplunger 34 relieves the swelling of the syringe and depressurizes the system. In one example, the rapid back-drive of theplunger 34 can be on the order of about 20 mL/s to 30 mL/s, for example 25 mL/s. This depressurization of the system allows the linear travel of theplunger 34 to coincide with the actual commanded location, irrespective of capacitance volume. In the example where thefirst fluid 30 is more viscous than thesecond fluid 32, the process described above in reference toFIGS. 10 and 11 would be switched to apply an over-travel and fast-controlled reverse pull of theplunger 36 within thesecond fluid 32 syringe to compensate for any undeliveredsecond fluid 32 in the fluid injection system. It is also contemplated that thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 may have substantially equal viscosities. In this example, equal pressures may be applied to thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 at the outset of the process. - In typical fluid injection systems with saline and contrast medium fluids, the contrast medium has a higher viscosity than the saline. Due to this difference in viscosity, it is often difficult to apply the correct pressure to each fluid to achieve a uniform pressure between the two fluids to create a smooth flow of the mixture of the two fluids to the downstream location or sequential flow of the fluids without a flow spike at the fluid transition. As described herein, the higher viscosity of the contrast medium may cause backflow in the fluid injection system and/or swelling of the syringes holding the saline and/or contrast medium. Therefore, in one embodiment of the disclosure, the saline used in the fluid injection system may be replaced with an alternative fluid that has similar properties to saline but has a higher viscosity to substantially match the higher viscosity of the contrast medium. In one example, the saline may be replaced with a Ringers Lactate solution, which has a viscosity similar to blood or low viscosity contrast mediums. The pressure required to deliver the Ringers Lactate solution through the fluid injection system is higher than saline, which leads to a smaller difference between the pressure to move the Ringers Lactate solution and that needed to move the more viscous contrast medium resulting in lower spikes or jumps in the flow rates of the two fluids. The Ringers Lactate solution will also have a higher density than saline, which will reduce the density exchange between the Ringers Lactate solution and the contrast medium.
- As shown in
FIG. 12 , in another example of the present disclosure, thesecond fluid 32 syringe may be designed with a lower capacitance (stored volume under pressure) than conventional syringes to reduce the effect of backflow into thesecond fluid 32 syringe. In one embodiment, thefirst fluid 30 may be more viscous than thesecond fluid 32. In an embodiment, apressure jacket 44 may be provided around the outer surface of at least thesecond fluid 32 syringe to restrict the swelling in at least thesecond fluid 32 syringe due to backflow ofsecond fluid 32. By providing thepressure jacket 44, the outer circumferential surface of thesecond fluid 32 syringe is reinforced, thereby limiting the amount of expansion or swelling in thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Thepressure jacket 44 is configured to lower the capacitance of thesecond fluid 32 syringe, which results in a more accurate volume of thesecond fluid 32 being provided at the downstream location. Thepressure jacket 44 may be made from a hard, medical-grade plastic, composite, or metal to provide the sufficient rigidity to thesecond fluid 32 syringe. It is also contemplated that anadditional pressure jacket 46 may be provided around the outer circumferential surface of thefirst fluid 30 syringe. Thepressure jacket 46 will assist in also lowering the capacitance of thefirst fluid 30 syringe, thereby providing more accurate volumes of thefirst fluid 30 at the downstream location. In the example where thesecond fluid 32 is more viscous than thefirst fluid 30, thepressure jacket 44 may be provided on thefirst fluid 30 syringe and theadditional pressure jacket 46 may be provided on thesecond fluid 32 syringe. - With reference to
FIGS. 13-15 , additional methods for reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates in the fluid injection system are described. InFIGS. 13 and 14 , anobstruction member 48 may be provided in thesecond fluid 32 syringe to increase the fluid pressure of thesecond fluid 32 through thesecond fluid 32 syringe. In this example, thefirst fluid 30 may be more viscous than thesecond fluid 32. In one example, theobstruction member 48 may include anopening 50 configured to increase the fluid pressure of thesecond fluid 32 based on the desired fluid pressure through the fluid injection system. In one example, theopening 50 may be circular. However, it is contemplated that alternative shapes for the opening may be used, along with additional openings in theobstruction member 48. Theobstruction member 48 is configured to increase the fluid pressure of thesecond fluid 32 so thesecond fluid 32 tubing of the fluid injection system does not decompress during the fluid injection process. Further, the increased fluid pressure of thesecond fluid 32 will decrease the amount of backflow that is directed to thesecond fluid 32 syringe, which may expand or swell thesecond fluid 32 syringe. The increased pressure of thesecond fluid 32 may be substantially equal to the pressure of thefirst fluid 30. In the example where thesecond fluid 32 is more viscous than thefirst fluid 30, theobstruction member 48 may be provided in thefirst fluid 30 syringe to increase the fluid pressure of thefirst fluid 30 through thefirst fluid 30 syringe. - Similar to the
obstruction member 48 used inFIGS. 13 and 14 to obstruct the flow of thesecond fluid 32 through thesecond fluid 32 syringe, in another example of the disclosure thesecond fluid 32 syringe may include a reduced inner diameter to create a similar obstruction. As shown inFIG. 15 , the inner diameter of thesecond fluid 32 syringe has been reduced from a larger diameter (shown in dashed lines) to a smaller diameter to increase the fluid pressure of thesecond fluid 32 through the fluid injection system. The inner diameter of thesecond fluid 32 syringe may be reduced in only a portion of thesecond fluid 32 syringe or the inner diameter of thesecond fluid 32 syringe may be reduced along the entire length of thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Similar to theobstruction member 48, the reduced inner diameter of thesecond fluid 32 syringe is configured to increase the fluid pressure of thesecond fluid 32 so thesecond fluid 32 tubing of the fluid injection system does not decompress during the fluid injection process. Further, the increased fluid pressure of thesecond fluid 32 will decrease the amount of backflow that is directed to thesecond fluid 32 syringe, which may result in the expansion or swelling of thesecond fluid 32 syringe. The reduced inner diameter will also assist in bringing the pressure of thesecond fluid 32 to a substantially equal pressure as thefirst fluid 30. In the example where thesecond fluid 32 is more viscous than thefirst fluid 30, the inner diameter of thefirst fluid 30 syringe may be reduced to create a similar obstruction. - With reference to
FIG. 16 , another method of reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates is described. In this example, thefirst fluid 30 may be more viscous than thesecond fluid 32. In this example, anexternal restriction member 52 may be provided around at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Theexternal restriction member 52 may be cylindrical in shape. However, it is contemplated that alternative shapes and sizes may be used with thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Theexternal restriction member 52 may define an aperture through which thesecond fluid 32 syringe may be inserted. Theexternal restriction member 52 may be provided via a friction-fit on thesecond fluid 32 syringe to control the flow rate of thesecond fluid 32 through thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Theexternal restriction member 52 may reduce the swelling or expansion of thesecond fluid 32 syringe due to any backflow into thesecond fluid 32 syringe, thereby reducing the capacitance of thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Theexternal restriction member 52 may apply pressure to the outer surface of thesecond fluid 32 syringe, thereby restricting the flow of thesecond fluid 32 through thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Pressure may be applied by theexternal restriction member 52 by decreasing the diameter of the aperture defined by theexternal restriction member 52. It is also contemplated that the pressure applied by theexternal restriction member 52 may be controlled by thecontroller 38. Thecontroller 38 may be programmed to adjust the pressure applied by theexternal restriction member 52 and the diameter size of the aperture defined by theexternal restriction member 52 based on the fluid pressures in the fluid injection system, the capacitance of thesecond fluid 32 syringe and thefirst fluid 30 syringe, the catheter size, and the viscosities of thesecond fluid 32 and thefirst fluid 30, among other factors. Thecontroller 38 may also be programmed to adjust the diameter size of the aperture defined by theexternal restriction member 52 based on the timing of the fluid injection procedure. In the example where thesecond fluid 32 is more viscous than thefirst fluid 30, theexternal restriction member 52 may be provided around a portion of the outer circumferential surface of thefirst fluid 30 syringe. - With reference to
FIG. 17 , another method of reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates is described. In this example, thesecond fluid 32 may be more viscous than thefirst fluid 30. This method includes the use of an equalizingflow valve 56 to monitor and control the flow rates of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32. The equalizingflow valve 56 may be positioned in the fluid injection system at a location where thefirst fluid 30 tubing and thesecond fluid 32 tubing connect with one another. The equalizingflow valve 56 may monitor the flow rates of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 and adjust an orifice defined by the equalizingflow valve 56 to maintain the desired delivery flow rates of the two fluids. In one example, the equalizingflow valve 56 may be connected to acontroller 38, which also actuates themotors plungers flow valve 56. Using thecontroller 38 with the equalizingflow valve 56, the pressure applied by theplungers flow valve 56. Thecontroller 38 may be programmed to read the flow rates of the two fluids through the equalizingflow valve 56 and adjust the pressure applied by theplungers second fluid 32 and thefirst fluid 30 have substantially equal pressures. Alternatively, thecontroller 38 and/or equalizingflow valve 56 may be pre-programmed according to the types of fluids used in the fluid injection system, fluid volumes, syringe features, catheter size, the capacitance of the fluid injection system, and/or the desired flow rates of the two fluids, which information may be stored in thecontroller 38. An operator may manually input the information regarding the fluid injection system into thecontroller 38, which will assist in adjusting theplunger flow valve 56 accordingly to obtain the desired flow rates of the two fluids. - With reference to
FIG. 18 , another method of reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates is described. In this example, thefirst fluid 30 may be more viscous than thesecond fluid 32. According to this embodiment, during operation of the fluid injection system, an operator will likely know the pressures that are to be applied by theplungers first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 in the fluid injection system. By determining the capacitance of thesecond fluid 32 syringe, the operator can adjust theplunger 36 of thesecond fluid 32 syringe accordingly to account for the extra stored volume of thesecond fluid 32 due to the capacitance of thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Using this method, theplunger 36 may be pulled back from thesecond fluid 32 syringe equal to a capacitance volume of thesecond fluid 32 syringe, which will reduce the pressure to zero in thesecond fluid 32 syringe. Thesecond fluid 32 may then be injected at the desired flow rate without experiencing any swelling or expansion in thesecond fluid 32 syringe. It is also contemplated that theplunger 36 may be pulled back by an instruction from thecontroller 38. Based on information regarding the fluid injection system, such as, fluid viscosities, catheter size, capacitance of thesecond fluid 32 syringe, and/or the volume of fluid in the fluid injection system, thecontroller 38 may be programmed to pull theplunger 36 from thesecond fluid 32 syringe in an amount equal to the capacitance volume of thesecond fluid 32 syringe. For example, if thesecond fluid 32 syringe capacitance is 10 mL, theplunger 32 may be pulled from a starting position P1 (shown in dashed lines) to a new position P2 to compensate for the extra volume that will be stored in thesecond fluid 32 syringe during the fluid injection procedure. In the example where thesecond fluid 32 is more viscous than thefirst fluid 30, the process described above with reference toFIG. 18 may be used with thefirst fluid 30 syringe. - According to an embodiment, in a similar method, a test injection procedure using the
first fluid 30 andsecond fluid 32 may be performed before the actual diagnostic phase, using the same flow rates as will be used from the diagnostic injection procedure. A pressure measurement of thefirst fluid 30 phase is obtained during the test injection procedure, which gives an indication of the expected pressure for the programmed flow rate under the current tubing and patient conditions. This measured pressure value is recorded and used during the diagnostic injection procedure to modify the flow rate of at least one of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 to modify the flow rate and fluid flow profile of at least one of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 to compensate for capacitance in the injector system. In one example, the flow rate modification is achieved by temporarily changing a pressure limit of one of thefluids controller 38 to control the pressures of the fluid injection system. In another embodiment, a series of flow algorithms may be programmed into acontroller 38 or processor based on set of pre-programmed injection protocols. Alternatively, one or more algorithms may be determined and programmed into thecontroller 38 that utilize various system parameters for a specific injection setup and protocol, such as, for example, fluid volumes and types, temperature, syringe volumes and types, desired flow rates, target organ or body part for imaging, patient information, etc., where the algorithms utilize the various parameters to calculate and appropriate injection protocol for the injection procedure. - With reference to
FIGS. 28 and 29 , another embodiment of a method of providing more accurate mixing ratios is described. During current multi-fluid injection procedures, a spike in saline flow rate may occur when the fluid passing through the catheter suddenly changes in viscosity, for example during a transition from contrast to saline, resulting in a drop in the pressure at the restriction point of the catheter. During this period of pressure drop, any fluid stored in the compliance of a disposable set or system capacitance holding the fluid is released through the catheter. As shown inFIG. 28 , contrast medium is initially directed through the catheter. After the contrast medium has been injected, the saline is injected and begins to flow through the catheter. A transition period occurs when the flow rate of the contrast medium begins to decrease through the catheter and the flow rate of the saline begins to increase through the catheter. During this transition period, the viscosity of the fluid flowing through the catheter suddenly and quickly changes, which results in a spike of the saline flow rate through the catheter. Due to the short transition period that occurs during the switch between injecting the contrast medium and injecting the saline, an increased drop in pressure is created, which causes an increased saline flow rate spike in the fluid exiting the catheter. - As shown in one embodiment in
FIG. 29 , by extending the transition period between injecting the contrast medium and injecting the saline, a more gradual viscosity/pressure gradient may be achieved during the injection procedure. With this extended transition period, the same volume of fluid is released over a longer period of time, so the average flow rate magnitude of the saline spike is reduced. The flow rate of the contrast medium is gradually and slowly reduced, while the flow rate of saline is gradually and slowly increased. The change in viscosity of the fluid through the catheter is gradual, resulting in a decreased drop of the pressure in the catheter. The extended transition period may be achieved in such a manner that does not increase the volume of contrast medium that is delivered during the injection procedure and does not degrade the efficacy of the injection procedure. It is also contemplated that non-linear or non-continuous extended transition periods could be used, which would result in less impact to the image taken of the patient, and taking advantage of the fluid dynamics of the fluid injection system. In other embodiments, real-time fluid flow rate measurements in a feedback loop to a processor may allow the processor to adjust the contrast and saline flow rates appropriately to minimize any spike in fluid flow rate during transition from one fluid to another. - In another example, the viscosity of the
first fluid 30 or thesecond fluid 32 is adjusted to minimize or dampen the spike or increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 to delivering the other of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32. In one example, a volume of thefirst fluid 30 is added to thesecond fluid 32 to dilute the overall viscosity of thesecond fluid 32. Since thefirst fluid 30 has a lower viscosity, thefirst fluid 30 will dilute thesecond fluid 32 and reduce the overall viscosity of thesecond fluid 32. In another example, the viscosity of thefirst fluid 32 is increased to match the viscosity of thesecond fluid 32. By equalizing the viscosities of thefluids first fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 and the delivery of the other of thefirst fluid 30 and thesecond fluid 32 does not create such a large spike or increase in the overall flow rate exiting from the catheter. - With reference to
FIGS. 19-27 , several methods are described for reducing undesired spikes in fluid flow rates by using several different catheter designs to control the erratic flow of fluid to the patient’s blood vessel. The following methods are configured to reduce the amount of kick-back or pull out the catheter experiences when the erratic flow of the contrast medium is delivered through the fluid injection system. - As shown in
FIG. 19 , one method of reducing kick-back in thecatheter 60 is to provide arigid member 62 along the longitudinal length of thecatheter 60. In one example, therigid member 62 may be a wire. Therigid member 62 may be attached to the outer surface of thecatheter 60 or embedded in the walls of thecatheter 60. Therigid member 62 may be configured to stiffen thecatheter 60 from bending during injection of the erratic fluid from the fluid injection system. By stiffening thecatheter 60 with therigid member 62, thecatheter 60 may be less likely to kick-back or pull out of the injection site when the erratic flow is delivered through thecatheter 60. By reducing the kick-back of thecatheter 60, thecatheter 60 may be less likely to extend into the surrounding tissue of the patient. - As shown in
FIGS. 20A and 20B , another method of reducing kick-back in thecatheter 60 is to provide a sheath or braidedmember 63 on an outer circumferential surface of thecatheter 60. Thesheath 63 may extend along the length of thecatheter 60 or may only be provided on a distal end of thecatheter 60. In one example, the inner diameter of thesheath 63 may be substantially equal to the outer diameter of thecatheter 60 so that thecatheter 60 may fit within thesheath 63. Thesheath 63 may be made of stainless steel wire interlaced together, nylon, Kevlar, spectra fiber, or any other suitably flexible material that is safe to insert into a patient’s blood vessel. Initially, before injection of fluid through thecatheter 60, thesheath 63 andcatheter 60 are substantially deflated within the patient’s blood vessel (FIG. 20A ). As fluid is injected through thecatheter 60, the fluid expands the inner diameter of thecatheter 60 to permit fluid to flow therethrough (FIG. 20B ). As thecatheter 60 expands against the inner diameter of thesheath 63, thesheath 63 also begins to expand. Thecatheter 60 expands until thecatheter 60 and thesheath 63 have expanded to their respective maximum outer diameters. The outer diameter of thesheath 63 may be substantially equal to an inner diameter of at least a portion of a blood vessel so that the outer diameter of thecatheter 60 is constrained by thesheath 63 to keep thecatheter 60 from expanding to a diameter larger than the diameter of a blood vessel. By keeping the outer diameter of thecatheter 60 smaller than the blood vessel, the fluid exiting thecatheter 60 remains coaxial with thecatheter 60. Since the inner diameter of thecatheter 60 expands slowly under pressure when initially deflated, the jetting velocity and acceleration of the fluid through thecatheter 60 is reduced, which also reduces any kick-back or rapid movement of thecatheter 60 in the patient’s blood vessel. Further, assheath 63 expands against the inner wall of at least a portion of the patient’s blood vessel, thesheath 63 may be secured to the inner walls to stabilizecatheter 60 within the blood vessel or may seal the needle hole entrance in the blood vessel, thereby reducing the risk of rapid movement of the catheter. - As shown in
FIGS. 21 and 22 , another method of reducing kick-back in thecatheter 60 is to provide asplit tip 64 on the distal end of thecatheter 60. Thesplit tip 64 may define anaperture 66 through which the fluid may be delivered to the patient. As shown inFIG. 21 , thesplit tip 64 may be configured to remain in a closed position in which theaperture 66 also remains closed. In this example, thesplit tip 64 will not open until a predetermined or sufficient pressure is provided by the fluid in thecatheter 60. With reference toFIG. 22 , upon reaching this predetermined pressure, theaperture 66 of thesplit tip 64 will open and allow the fluid to be delivered into the patient’s vein. Thesplit tip 64 assists in reducing the erratic flow of the fluid that is permitted to exit from thecatheter 60. The fluid is unable to exit into the patient’s vein until the predetermined pressure is achieved, which stabilizes the fluid in thecatheter 60 before injection into the patient. It is also contemplated that different shapes and number of apertures in thesplit tip 64 may be utilized to improve the stability of thecatheter 60. - As shown in
FIGS. 23 and 24 , similar to thesplit tip 64 ofFIGS. 21 and 22 , another method of reducing kick-back in thecatheter 60 includes providing anover-molded tip 68 on the distal end of thecatheter 60. Theover-molded tip 68 may be configured to overlap the distal end of thecatheter 60. Theover-molded tip 68 may be configured to open and allow the fluid to exit the distal end of thecatheter 60 upon the fluid reaching a predetermined or threshold pressure. As shown inFIG. 23 , theover-molded tip 68 is configured to remain closed during use of thecatheter 60, until a certain pressure is obtained by the fluid. Once the fluid pressure has increased to the threshold pressure, theover-molded tip 68 will open and move away from the opening of the distal end of the catheter 60 (as shown inFIG. 24 ), thereby permitting the fluid to exit into the patient’s blood vessel. Theover-molded tip 68 assists in reducing the erratic flow of the fluid that is permitted to exit from thecatheter 60. The fluid is unable to exit into the patient’s vein until the predetermined pressure is achieved, which stabilizes the fluid in thecatheter 60 before injection into the patient. It is also contemplated that different shapes of theover-molded tip 68 may be utilized to improve the stability of thecatheter 60. - With reference to
FIG. 25 , another method of reducing kick-back in thecatheter 60 includes tapering the inside diameter of thecatheter 60 to allow more steady flow of fluid through thecatheter 60. In one example, the inner diameter may start at a smaller dimension at aproximal end 70 of thecatheter 60. In this example, the inner diameter will taper or increase outwardly to thedistal end 72 of thecatheter 60, which will have a larger inner diameter than theproximal end 70. By tapering the inner diameter in this fashion such that the proximal end has a smaller diameter, a reduction in the proximal hoop stress on thecatheter 60 tubing at theproximal end 70 of thecatheter 60 is achieved, and a reduction in the kick-back or rapid movement of thecatheter 60 by lowering the acceleration of the fluid as it exits thecatheter 60 may be achieved. It is contemplated that thecatheter 60 may begin to taper at different locations along the length of thecatheter 60. However,proximal end 70 of thecatheter 60 will always have a smaller inner diameter than thedistal end 72 ofcatheter 60. It is contemplated that the dimensions of the inner diameter atproximal end 70 anddistal end 72 may vary incatheter 60. - With reference to
FIGS. 26 and 27 , another method of reducing kick-back in thecatheter 60 includes providing aballoon tip 74 on an end of thecatheter 60. Theballoon tip 74 may be made from a flexible material so theballoon tip 74 can be stretched. Theballoon tip 74 may be inflatable and deflatable based on the amount of fluid that is directed through theballoon tip 74. Theballoon tip 74 may be provided on thedistal end 72 of thecatheter 60. As shown inFIG. 26 , when fluid is not being provided through thecatheter 60, theballoon tip 74 is deflated and rests in theblood vessel 76 of the patient on thedistal end 72 of thecatheter 60. As shown inFIG. 27 , upon fluid being injected through thecatheter 60, theballoon tip 74 is inflated by the liquid and is directed out of theballoon tip 74 via anaperture 78. When fluid is directed through theballoon tip 74, theballoon tip 74 is expanded to substantially the same inner diameter size as theblood vessel 76. Theballoon tip 74 may assist in centering the flow of the liquid through theblood vessel 76. Theballoon tip 74 may also anchor thecatheter 60 to the inner walls of theblood vessel 76 to seal any puncture holes in theblood vessel 76 from leaking any injected fluid into the surrounding tissue. This sealing feature is particularly advantageous when thecatheter 60 punctures through both walls of theblood vessel 76 and is then slightly pulled back into theblood vessel 76. Theballoon tip 74 will assist in sealing any accidental punctures in theblood vessel 76 walls to reduce any contrast medium or saline leaking into the surrounding tissue. - While several examples of a fluid injection system and catheter are shown in the accompanying figures and described hereinabove in detail, other examples will be apparent to, and readily made by, those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. For example, it is to be understood that this disclosure contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any example can be combined with one or more features of any other example. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.
Claims (18)
1. A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the method comprising:
delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate;
delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, wherein the second fluid is less viscous than the first fluid; and
adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller wherein the adjusting is based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises pulling back a plunger of a second fluid syringe containing the second fluid to reduce a capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein pulling back the plunger of the second fluid syringe comprises pulling back the plunger a distance equal to the capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger is controlled by a controller.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger by the controller is based on information based on one or more of fluid viscosities, catheter size, capacitance of the second fluid syringe and a volume of fluid in a fluid injection system.
8. A multi-fluid injection system configured to maintain an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the system comprising:
a processor configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to:
deliver at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate;
deliver at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate wherein the second fluid is less viscous than the first fluid; and
adjust at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
9. The multi-fluid injection system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to increase a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
10. The multi-fluid injection system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to delay the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
11. The multi-fluid injection system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the controller adjusts at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises the controller pulling back a plunger of a second fluid syringe containing the second fluid to reduce a capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe.
12. A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the method comprising:
delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, wherein the first fluid is less viscous than the second fluid;
delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate; and
adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller wherein the adjusting is based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises pulling back a plunger of a second fluid syringe containing the second fluid to reduce a capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein pulling back the plunger of the second fluid syringe comprises pulling back the plunger a distance equal to the capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger is controlled by a controller.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger by the controller is based on information based on one or more of fluid viscosities, catheter size, capacitance of the second fluid syringe and a volume of fluid in a fluid injection system.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US18/208,021 US20230347043A1 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2023-06-09 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201662303050P | 2016-03-03 | 2016-03-03 | |
PCT/US2017/020637 WO2017152036A1 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2017-03-03 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
US201816081202A | 2018-08-30 | 2018-08-30 | |
US17/157,506 US11672902B2 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2021-01-25 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
US18/208,021 US20230347043A1 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2023-06-09 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US17/157,506 Continuation US11672902B2 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2021-01-25 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20230347043A1 true US20230347043A1 (en) | 2023-11-02 |
Family
ID=58358933
Family Applications (3)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/081,202 Active 2037-10-14 US10898638B2 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2017-03-03 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
US17/157,506 Active 2037-09-14 US11672902B2 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2021-01-25 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
US18/208,021 Pending US20230347043A1 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2023-06-09 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
Family Applications Before (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/081,202 Active 2037-10-14 US10898638B2 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2017-03-03 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
US17/157,506 Active 2037-09-14 US11672902B2 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2021-01-25 | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (3) | US10898638B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3423130A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2017152036A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10155063B2 (en) | 2015-11-12 | 2018-12-18 | University Of Virginia Patent Foundation | Methods for vas-occlusive contraception and reversal thereof |
WO2017152036A1 (en) * | 2016-03-03 | 2017-09-08 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
MX2020010523A (en) | 2017-02-27 | 2021-02-09 | Third Pole Inc | Systems and methods for generating nitric oxide. |
WO2019046260A1 (en) | 2017-08-31 | 2019-03-07 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Method for dynamic pressure control in a fluid injector system |
AU2018326386B2 (en) | 2017-08-31 | 2024-03-28 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid injector system volume compensation system and method |
WO2019046299A1 (en) | 2017-08-31 | 2019-03-07 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid path impedance assessment for improving fluid delivery performance |
JP7221885B2 (en) | 2017-08-31 | 2023-02-14 | バイエル・ヘルスケア・エルエルシー | Injector pressure calibration system and method |
JP7252143B2 (en) | 2017-08-31 | 2023-04-04 | バイエル・ヘルスケア・エルエルシー | System and method for mechanical calibration of drive member position and fluid injector system |
US11826541B2 (en) | 2017-09-13 | 2023-11-28 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Sliding syringe cap for separate filling and delivery |
AU2019332923A1 (en) * | 2018-08-28 | 2021-02-11 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid injector system with improved ratio performance |
EP3843808A1 (en) | 2018-08-28 | 2021-07-07 | Bayer HealthCare LLC | Fluid injector system, method of preventing fluid backflow, and computer program product |
JP2022506078A (en) * | 2018-11-13 | 2022-01-17 | コントラライン,インコーポレイテッド | Systems and methods for delivering biomaterials |
US11872373B2 (en) * | 2019-07-30 | 2024-01-16 | Medone Surgical, Inc. | Dual fluid injection system |
CN115485783A (en) | 2020-04-30 | 2022-12-16 | 拜耳医药保健有限责任公司 | Systems, devices, and methods for protecting the health of a patient for fluid injection |
AU2021315809A1 (en) * | 2020-07-31 | 2023-02-23 | Bard Access Systems, Inc. | Valve configurations for a tunable valve |
US20230330359A1 (en) * | 2022-04-14 | 2023-10-19 | Third Pole, Inc. | Delivery of medicinal gas in a liquid medium |
Family Cites Families (534)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US508584A (en) | 1893-11-14 | Device for mixing hot and gold water for bathing | ||
US383858A (en) | 1888-06-05 | mepartland | ||
US945143A (en) | 1909-07-28 | 1910-01-04 | Iacques Szamek | Apparatus for mixing liquids. |
US1020166A (en) | 1911-09-06 | 1912-03-12 | Frederick Merrill Tibbott | Rail-joint. |
GB201800A (en) | 1922-09-18 | 1923-08-09 | Robert Sowter Hubbard | An improved toy |
US2511291A (en) | 1947-03-12 | 1950-06-13 | Grover C Mueller | Mixer for liquids |
US2583206A (en) | 1949-12-01 | 1952-01-22 | Separator Ab | Apparatus for homogenizing |
US3007487A (en) | 1958-04-21 | 1961-11-07 | Adams Karl | Valve |
US3156236A (en) | 1961-12-07 | 1964-11-10 | Cordis Corp | Medical injector |
US3159312A (en) | 1962-09-28 | 1964-12-01 | Budd Co | Dispensing device for mixing two viscous fluids |
US3276472A (en) | 1963-12-03 | 1966-10-04 | Medex Inc | Medical valve |
DE1220394B (en) | 1964-09-12 | 1966-07-07 | Glanzstoff Koeln Ges Mit Besch | Device for the continuous mixing and homogenizing of liquids of different viscosities |
CH456051A (en) | 1966-06-30 | 1968-05-15 | Contraves Ag | Medical contrast agent injection device |
US3623474A (en) | 1966-07-25 | 1971-11-30 | Medrad Inc | Angiographic injection equipment |
US3520295A (en) | 1968-03-06 | 1970-07-14 | Gen Electric | Cardiac r-wave detector with automatic gain control |
BE758739A (en) | 1969-11-13 | 1971-04-16 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING A FLUID |
US3635444A (en) | 1970-09-08 | 1972-01-18 | Amvit | Static mixer |
US3701345A (en) | 1970-09-29 | 1972-10-31 | Medrad Inc | Angiographic injector equipment |
US3671208A (en) | 1970-10-09 | 1972-06-20 | Wayne G Medsker | Fluid mixing apparatus |
US3793600A (en) | 1971-03-16 | 1974-02-19 | Strategic Automated Systems In | Record medium with validating and cancelling feature and method |
NL171912C (en) | 1971-04-13 | 1983-06-01 | Electricity Council | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING IRON FOIL |
US4001549A (en) | 1971-06-10 | 1977-01-04 | Corwin Edward J | Marking document and template assembly and method of making the assembly |
US3927955A (en) | 1971-08-23 | 1975-12-23 | East West Medical Products Inc | Medical cassette pump |
US3755655A (en) | 1971-10-26 | 1973-08-28 | Tac Ind Inc | Machine processed data card |
US3839708A (en) | 1972-06-28 | 1974-10-01 | Searle Medidata Inc | Input-output terminal for hospital information system |
US3868967A (en) | 1973-02-16 | 1975-03-04 | Shropshire Kenneth W | Adapter for mixing fluids |
US3812843A (en) | 1973-03-12 | 1974-05-28 | Lear Siegler Inc | Method and apparatus for injecting contrast media into the vascular system |
JPS5011296A (en) | 1973-05-31 | 1975-02-05 | ||
JPS5418908B2 (en) | 1973-06-15 | 1979-07-11 | ||
US3895220A (en) | 1973-09-07 | 1975-07-15 | Docutronix Inc | Selectively encodable envelope insert and related apparatus |
US3898983A (en) | 1973-10-03 | 1975-08-12 | James O Elam | Device and method for detecting the degree of muscle relaxation of a medical patient |
US3968195A (en) | 1974-06-17 | 1976-07-06 | Marilyn Bishop | Method for making sterile connections |
US3888239A (en) | 1974-06-21 | 1975-06-10 | Morton K Rubinstein | Fluid injection system |
US4038981A (en) | 1974-07-26 | 1977-08-02 | Burron Medical Products, Inc. | Electronically controlled intravenous infusion set |
US3941126A (en) | 1974-08-08 | 1976-03-02 | Dietrich Joseph W | Apparatus for long term intravenous administration of diluted incompatible multiple medications |
US4006736A (en) | 1974-11-27 | 1977-02-08 | Medrad, Inc. | Angiographic injector |
US3995381A (en) | 1975-06-27 | 1976-12-07 | Ken Max Manfred | Low visibility answer sheet and method of testing |
JPS5226193A (en) | 1975-08-22 | 1977-02-26 | Houseikai | Remote control barium injector |
US4044757A (en) | 1976-01-14 | 1977-08-30 | The Kendall Company | Cholangiography device and method |
US4273122A (en) | 1976-11-12 | 1981-06-16 | Whitney Douglass G | Self contained powered injection system |
US4135247A (en) | 1977-08-15 | 1979-01-16 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Tomography signal processing system |
US4284073A (en) | 1977-10-11 | 1981-08-18 | Krause Horst E | Method and apparatus for pumping blood within a vessel |
US4191183A (en) | 1977-10-31 | 1980-03-04 | Barry Mendelson | Mixing chamber for use in plural medical liquid intravenous administration set |
US4151845A (en) | 1977-11-25 | 1979-05-01 | Miles Laboratories, Inc. | Blood glucose control apparatus |
US4187057A (en) | 1978-01-11 | 1980-02-05 | Stewart-Naumann Laboratories, Inc. | Peristaltic infusion pump and disposable cassette for use therewith |
US4262824A (en) | 1978-02-17 | 1981-04-21 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Low-current E-frame electronic magnet with a permanent magnet armature for an I. V. valving controller |
US4263916A (en) | 1978-03-27 | 1981-04-28 | University Of Southern California | Image averaging for angiography by registration and combination of serial images |
US4448200A (en) | 1978-03-27 | 1984-05-15 | University Of Southern California | System and method for dynamic background subtraction |
US4329067A (en) | 1978-04-19 | 1982-05-11 | Bruce J. Landis | Fluid mixer |
US4207871A (en) | 1978-06-07 | 1980-06-17 | Imed Corporation | System for controlling the flow of intravenous fluids to a patient |
US4199000A (en) | 1978-07-19 | 1980-04-22 | Edstrom William E | Cross-contamination isolator |
US4223675A (en) | 1978-07-24 | 1980-09-23 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Solution containers such as blood bags and system for preparing same |
US4204775A (en) | 1978-08-08 | 1980-05-27 | General Dynamics Corporation Pomona Division | Mixing device for simultaneously dispensing two-part liquid compounds from packaging kit |
US4208136A (en) | 1978-12-01 | 1980-06-17 | Komax Systems, Inc. | Static mixing apparatus |
JPS56500240A (en) | 1979-02-28 | 1981-03-05 | ||
US4280494A (en) | 1979-06-26 | 1981-07-28 | Cosgrove Robert J Jun | System for automatic feedback-controlled administration of drugs |
US4315247A (en) | 1979-08-13 | 1982-02-09 | Germanton Charles E | Security systems employing an electronic lock and key apparatus |
US4319568A (en) | 1979-10-29 | 1982-03-16 | Vickers Limited | Liquid dispensing apparatus |
CA1171030A (en) | 1979-11-05 | 1984-07-17 | David Bellamy | Fluid transfer assembly |
JPS5675131A (en) | 1979-11-22 | 1981-06-22 | Olympus Optical Co | Endoscope apparatus |
US4341153A (en) | 1980-01-08 | 1982-07-27 | Truswal Systems Corp. | Splicing and truss assembly apparatus and methods |
FR2493708A1 (en) | 1980-11-07 | 1982-05-14 | Mecaserto | Appts. for preparing solns. for physiological injection - to automate mixing and transfer from remote control |
US4340153A (en) | 1980-11-28 | 1982-07-20 | Spivey David L | Method and apparatus for medication dispensing |
US4396385A (en) | 1980-12-05 | 1983-08-02 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Flow metering apparatus for a fluid infusion system |
US4409966A (en) | 1981-05-29 | 1983-10-18 | Lambrecht Richard M | Method and apparatus for injecting a substance into the bloodstream of a subject |
JPS5815842A (en) | 1981-07-20 | 1983-01-29 | 株式会社東芝 | Apparatus for extracting image contour |
US4392849A (en) | 1981-07-27 | 1983-07-12 | The Cleveland Clinic Foundation | Infusion pump controller |
US4447230A (en) | 1981-08-05 | 1984-05-08 | Quest Medical, Inc. | Intravenous administration set assembly |
US4444198A (en) | 1981-12-21 | 1984-04-24 | Petre John H | Circulatory monitoring system and method |
DE3203594A1 (en) | 1982-02-03 | 1983-08-11 | Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München | X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM FOR ANGIOGRAPHIC X-RAY IMAGES |
JPS58152542A (en) | 1982-03-05 | 1983-09-10 | 株式会社東芝 | X-ray diagnostic apparatus |
US4504908A (en) | 1982-03-15 | 1985-03-12 | General Electric Company | Matched filter for X-ray temporal subtraction |
US4434820A (en) | 1982-05-05 | 1984-03-06 | Glass John P | Syringe loader and method |
US4823833A (en) | 1982-06-24 | 1989-04-25 | Baxter Healthcare Corporation | Fluid communication device |
US4515584A (en) | 1982-07-06 | 1985-05-07 | Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. | Artificial pancreas |
US4441823A (en) | 1982-07-19 | 1984-04-10 | Power Harold H | Static line mixer |
US4474476A (en) | 1982-08-05 | 1984-10-02 | Jack Thomsen | Chemical printing liquid method and system |
US4512764A (en) | 1982-09-27 | 1985-04-23 | Wunsch Richard E | Manifold for controlling administration of multiple intravenous solutions and medications |
US4542459A (en) | 1982-11-26 | 1985-09-17 | General Electric Company | Matched filter for x-ray hybrid subtraction |
US4655197A (en) | 1982-12-01 | 1987-04-07 | Snyder Laboratories, Inc. | Lavage system with variable frequency, flow rate and pressure |
US4479762A (en) | 1982-12-28 | 1984-10-30 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Prepackaged fluid processing module having pump and valve elements operable in response to applied pressures |
US4479760A (en) | 1982-12-28 | 1984-10-30 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Actuator apparatus for a prepackaged fluid processing module having pump and valve elements operable in response to applied pressures |
US4479761A (en) | 1982-12-28 | 1984-10-30 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Actuator apparatus for a prepackaged fluid processing module having pump and valve elements operable in response to externally applied pressures |
US4509526A (en) | 1983-02-08 | 1985-04-09 | Lawrence Medical Systems, Inc. | Method and system for non-invasive ultrasound Doppler cardiac output measurement |
US4585941A (en) | 1983-02-28 | 1986-04-29 | E. R. Squibb & Sons, Inc. | Dosimetry system for strontium-rubidium infusion pump |
JPS59160431A (en) | 1983-03-01 | 1984-09-11 | オリンパス光学工業株式会社 | Air and liquid feeding apparatus of endoscope |
JPS59180452A (en) | 1983-03-31 | 1984-10-13 | Toshiba Corp | Pulse x-ray diagnosis system |
US4625494A (en) | 1983-04-28 | 1986-12-02 | Pfrimmer & Co. Pharmazeutische Werke Erlangen | Method and apparatus for making mixtures of pharmaceutical liquids |
JPS59214432A (en) | 1983-05-20 | 1984-12-04 | 株式会社東芝 | Radiation diagnostic apparatus |
JPS59214431A (en) | 1983-05-20 | 1984-12-04 | 株式会社東芝 | Radiation diagnostic apparatus |
US4610670A (en) | 1983-06-13 | 1986-09-09 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Sterile connection process, apparatus and system |
JPS607292A (en) | 1983-06-27 | 1985-01-16 | Toshiba Corp | Stereoscopic x-ray television device |
GB8318670D0 (en) | 1983-07-11 | 1983-08-10 | Ici Plc | Fluid delivery apparatus |
DE3329977C2 (en) | 1983-08-19 | 1985-10-17 | B. Braun Melsungen Ag, 3508 Melsungen | Device for the dosed simultaneous infusion of solutions |
DE3433207A1 (en) | 1983-09-09 | 1985-04-18 | Nippon Gakki Seizo K.K., Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | Sounding board for musical instruments |
US4798590A (en) | 1983-11-22 | 1989-01-17 | Medical Technology Products, Inc. | Intravenous infusion pumping system including independent pump set |
JPS60114987A (en) | 1983-11-25 | 1985-06-21 | 株式会社東芝 | Fare receiver |
US4559036A (en) | 1983-12-14 | 1985-12-17 | Wunsch Richard E | Apparatus for controlling administration of multiple intravenous solutions and medications |
US4563175A (en) | 1983-12-19 | 1986-01-07 | Lafond Margaret | Multiple syringe pump |
NL8304397A (en) | 1983-12-22 | 1985-07-16 | Philips Nv | ROENTGEN RESEARCH DEVICE WITH IMAGE SUBSTRACTION. |
JPS60150729A (en) | 1984-01-19 | 1985-08-08 | 株式会社東芝 | Heart blood vessel function diagnostic apparatus |
US4854324A (en) | 1984-01-31 | 1989-08-08 | Medrad, Inc. | Processor-controlled angiographic injector device |
US5100380A (en) | 1984-02-08 | 1992-03-31 | Abbott Laboratories | Remotely programmable infusion system |
US4610790A (en) | 1984-02-10 | 1986-09-09 | Sterimatics Company Limited Partnership | Process and system for producing sterile water and sterile aqueous solutions |
JPS60194934A (en) | 1984-03-19 | 1985-10-03 | 株式会社日立メデイコ | X-ray vessel image fluoroscopic apparatus |
JPS60194935A (en) | 1984-03-19 | 1985-10-03 | 株式会社日立メデイコ | X-ray vessel image fluoroscopic apparatus |
CH663739A5 (en) | 1984-03-21 | 1988-01-15 | Urma Werkzeug Maschf | DEVICE ON A DIAMETER-ADJUSTABLE EXTRACTION TOOL WITH INSERT HOLDER. |
FR2561949B1 (en) | 1984-03-29 | 1991-05-03 | Arc Services | PARCEL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM |
US4572724A (en) | 1984-04-12 | 1986-02-25 | Pall Corporation | Blood filter |
US4551133A (en) | 1984-04-16 | 1985-11-05 | American Hospital Supply Corporation | Patient controlled medication infusion system |
JPS60253197A (en) | 1984-05-29 | 1985-12-13 | Toshiba Corp | X-ray diagnosis equipment |
JPH0614746B2 (en) | 1984-09-13 | 1994-02-23 | 株式会社東芝 | X-ray image processing device |
JPS61115539A (en) | 1984-11-09 | 1986-06-03 | 株式会社 日立メデイコ | Digital x-ray photographing apparatus |
US4634426A (en) | 1984-12-11 | 1987-01-06 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories | Medical infusion controller and user interface |
US4676776A (en) | 1985-01-18 | 1987-06-30 | Intelligent Medicine, Inc. | Device and method for effecting application of a therapeutic agent |
US5088981A (en) | 1985-01-18 | 1992-02-18 | Howson David C | Safety enhanced device and method for effecting application of a therapeutic agent |
DE3575862D1 (en) | 1985-02-18 | 1990-03-15 | Medrad Inc | ANGIOGRAPHIC INJECTOR WITH A CONTROL UNIT. |
JPS61220628A (en) | 1985-03-28 | 1986-09-30 | 株式会社 日立メデイコ | X-ray dynamic image measuring apparatus |
DE8516350U1 (en) | 1985-06-04 | 1988-10-27 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc., Deerfield, Ill., Us | |
US4935005A (en) | 1985-06-05 | 1990-06-19 | Nestle, S.A. | Opthalmic fluid flow control system |
AU595540B2 (en) | 1985-08-06 | 1990-04-05 | Baxter International Inc. | Patient-controlled delivery of beneficial agents |
US4710166A (en) | 1985-11-08 | 1987-12-01 | Quest Medical, Inc. | Automated drug additive infusion system |
JPS62216199A (en) | 1986-03-18 | 1987-09-22 | Toshiba Corp | X-ray ct device |
JPH0672866B2 (en) | 1986-03-19 | 1994-09-14 | 本田技研工業株式会社 | Oxygen concentration detector |
JPH072182B2 (en) | 1986-04-07 | 1995-01-18 | テルモ株式会社 | Infusion pump |
FR2598583A1 (en) | 1986-05-06 | 1987-11-13 | Thomson Cgr | RADIOLOGY INSTALLATION WITH COMMUNICATION NETWORK |
US4750643A (en) | 1986-08-04 | 1988-06-14 | Sugrin Surgical Instrumentation, Inc. | Sterile fluid dispensing system and method |
JPS6340538A (en) | 1986-08-06 | 1988-02-20 | 株式会社東芝 | Ct image diagnostic method |
US4754786A (en) | 1986-09-05 | 1988-07-05 | Roderick Roberts | Sterile fluid storage and dispensing apparatus and method for filling same |
US4781687A (en) | 1986-10-16 | 1988-11-01 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Irrigation system utilizing air bladder pressure regulator and method of use |
US4854301A (en) | 1986-11-13 | 1989-08-08 | Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. | Endoscope apparatus having a chair with a switch |
US4793357A (en) | 1986-11-24 | 1988-12-27 | Picker International, Inc. | CT blood flow mapping with xenon gas enhancement |
US4936832A (en) | 1986-11-24 | 1990-06-26 | Vaillancourt Vincent L | Ambulatory disposable infusion delivery system |
US5056568A (en) | 1986-12-05 | 1991-10-15 | Clintec Nutrition Company | Automated system for adding multiple fluids to a single container |
US4789014A (en) | 1986-12-05 | 1988-12-06 | Baxter International Inc. | Automated system for adding multiple fluids to a single container |
JPS63164931A (en) | 1986-12-27 | 1988-07-08 | 株式会社東芝 | Constant pressure apparatus of endoscope |
SE457056B (en) | 1987-01-29 | 1988-11-28 | Gambro Ab | SYSTEM FOR PREPARING A SCIENTIFIC INTENDED FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT |
JP2602823B2 (en) | 1987-03-11 | 1997-04-23 | 株式会社東芝 | Liquid feeding device for endoscope |
US4976687A (en) | 1987-05-11 | 1990-12-11 | James Martin | Apparatus for controlling the supplying of intravenous fluids |
JPS63290547A (en) | 1987-05-25 | 1988-11-28 | Hitachi Medical Corp | Television tomographic imaging apparatus |
US4887554A (en) | 1987-05-27 | 1989-12-19 | Whitford Darryl R | Animal drench |
US4838856A (en) | 1987-07-02 | 1989-06-13 | Truckee Meadows Research & Development | Fluid infusion flow control system |
DE3826550C2 (en) | 1987-08-07 | 1994-01-13 | Toshiba Kawasaki Kk | Device for displaying X-ray images |
US5207642A (en) | 1987-08-07 | 1993-05-04 | Baxter International Inc. | Closed multi-fluid delivery system and method |
US4925444A (en) | 1987-08-07 | 1990-05-15 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Closed multi-fluid delivery system and method |
DE3726452A1 (en) | 1987-08-08 | 1989-02-16 | Schael Wilfried | Peristaltic pump for medical purposes |
US4880014A (en) | 1987-08-14 | 1989-11-14 | Zarowitz Barbara J | Method for determining therapeutic drug dosage using bioelectrical resistance and reactance measurements |
US4795429A (en) | 1987-10-28 | 1989-01-03 | Feldstein Marvin A | Method and apparatus for use in the control of intravenous medication introduction |
US6796296B2 (en) | 2002-06-05 | 2004-09-28 | Jay S. Kim | Fluid swirling device for an internal combustion engine |
US4835521A (en) | 1987-11-05 | 1989-05-30 | Emhart Industries, Inc. | Fluid status detector |
DE3739230A1 (en) | 1987-11-19 | 1989-06-01 | Siemens Ag | MEDICAL EXAMINATION SYSTEM |
DE3739229A1 (en) | 1987-11-19 | 1989-06-01 | Siemens Ag | MEDICAL EXAMINATION SYSTEM |
US5040537A (en) | 1987-11-24 | 1991-08-20 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Method and apparatus for the measurement and medical treatment using an ultrasonic wave |
US4863425A (en) | 1987-12-04 | 1989-09-05 | Pacesetter Infusion, Ltd. | Patient-side occlusion detection system for a medication infusion system |
US4874359A (en) | 1987-12-14 | 1989-10-17 | White Frederick R | Power infuser |
US4887208A (en) | 1987-12-18 | 1989-12-12 | Schneider Bruce H | Sales and inventory control system |
US4853521A (en) | 1987-12-28 | 1989-08-01 | Claeys Ronald W | System for verifying and recording drug administration to a patient |
US5053002A (en) | 1988-01-11 | 1991-10-01 | Olympus Corporation | Irrigation system for angioscope |
JP2627294B2 (en) | 1988-02-13 | 1997-07-02 | 株式会社日立メディコ | CT device with contrast agent concentration control function |
US5108363A (en) | 1988-02-19 | 1992-04-28 | Gensia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of coronary artery disease by exercise simulation using closed loop drug delivery of an exercise simulating agent beta agonist |
US5123121A (en) | 1988-03-07 | 1992-06-23 | Bell Helmets, Inc. | Helmet retention system with adjustable buckle |
GB8808305D0 (en) | 1988-04-08 | 1988-05-11 | Nycomed As | Compositions |
DE3812584A1 (en) | 1988-04-13 | 1989-10-26 | Mic Medical Instr Corp | DEVICE FOR BIOFEEDBACK CONTROL OF BODY FUNCTIONS |
US4901731A (en) | 1988-04-27 | 1990-02-20 | Millar Instruments, Inc. | Single sensor pressure differential device |
US4943779A (en) | 1988-05-19 | 1990-07-24 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Digital sweep generator |
DE3817411A1 (en) | 1988-05-21 | 1989-11-30 | Fresenius Ag | MULTIPLE INFUSION SYSTEM |
US4857056A (en) | 1988-07-06 | 1989-08-15 | Sherwood Medical Company | Auto-flush syringe pump |
US4950245A (en) | 1988-07-08 | 1990-08-21 | I-Flow Corporation | Multiple fluid cartridge and pump |
US4954129A (en) | 1988-07-25 | 1990-09-04 | Abbott Laboratories | Hydrodynamic clot flushing |
US5021046A (en) | 1988-08-10 | 1991-06-04 | Utah Medical Products, Inc. | Medical pressure sensing and display system |
US4946439A (en) | 1988-08-15 | 1990-08-07 | Critikon, Inc. | Dual source parenteral infusion system with secondary infusion module |
GB8822708D0 (en) | 1988-09-28 | 1988-11-02 | Core Consulting Group | Improved microwave-powered heating device |
US4943279A (en) | 1988-09-30 | 1990-07-24 | C. R. Bard, Inc. | Medical pump with infusion controlled by a detachable coded label |
JPH02109546A (en) | 1988-10-18 | 1990-04-23 | Toshiba Corp | Diagnosing device using x-ray ct scanner |
US5262946A (en) | 1988-10-20 | 1993-11-16 | Picker International, Inc. | Dynamic volume scanning for CT scanners |
US5276614A (en) | 1989-11-17 | 1994-01-04 | Picker International, Inc. | Dynamic bandwidth reconstruction |
US4965726A (en) | 1988-10-20 | 1990-10-23 | Picker International, Inc. | CT scanner with segmented detector array |
US4947412A (en) | 1988-10-20 | 1990-08-07 | Picker International, Inc. | X-ray detector for CT scanners |
US5228070A (en) | 1988-10-20 | 1993-07-13 | Picker International, Inc. | Constant image quality CT scanner with variable radiation flux density |
US5166961A (en) | 1988-10-20 | 1992-11-24 | Picker International, Inc. | CT scanner having multiple detector widths |
US5069662A (en) | 1988-10-21 | 1991-12-03 | Delcath Systems, Inc. | Cancer treatment |
US4929818A (en) | 1988-11-15 | 1990-05-29 | Rainbarrel Corporation | Method and apparatus for vending a containerized product on multiple occasions following at least one refill of the container with the product |
EP0378896A3 (en) | 1988-11-23 | 1991-05-22 | Picker International, Inc. | Radiation detectors |
JP2781914B2 (en) | 1988-12-09 | 1998-07-30 | 日本アイデント・グラフ株式会社 | Continuous stereoscopic observation equipment |
US4946256A (en) | 1989-01-11 | 1990-08-07 | Nm Laser Products, Inc. | Right angle shutter for laser beam |
US4879880A (en) | 1989-01-17 | 1989-11-14 | Frank Harrison | Air temperature regulator |
US5153827A (en) | 1989-01-30 | 1992-10-06 | Omni-Flow, Inc. | An infusion management and pumping system having an alarm handling system |
JP2849396B2 (en) | 1989-02-28 | 1999-01-20 | 株式会社日立メディコ | X-ray CT imaging system |
JPH02234747A (en) | 1989-03-09 | 1990-09-17 | Toshiba Corp | Synchronous picture photographing device |
US5009654A (en) | 1989-03-10 | 1991-04-23 | Baxter International Inc. | Sterile product and method for sterilizing and assembling such product |
US4952068A (en) | 1989-03-21 | 1990-08-28 | Flint Theodore R | Static mixing device and container |
US5113905A (en) | 1989-03-27 | 1992-05-19 | Michael D. Hoyle | Carbon dioxide fill manifold and method |
JPH0412994Y2 (en) | 1989-04-04 | 1992-03-27 | ||
JPH0355040A (en) | 1989-07-21 | 1991-03-08 | Shimadzu Corp | X-ray rotary stereo-digital-subtraction apparatus |
ATE233100T1 (en) | 1989-08-02 | 2003-03-15 | Mitra Medical Technology Ab | SYSTEM FOR USE IN A PROCESS OF THERAPEUTIC AND DIAGNOSTIC TREATMENT |
US5010473A (en) | 1989-08-31 | 1991-04-23 | Duke University | Method and apparatus for model-based control of an open-loop process |
US4978335A (en) | 1989-09-29 | 1990-12-18 | Medex, Inc. | Infusion pump with bar code input to computer |
US5267174A (en) | 1989-09-29 | 1993-11-30 | Healthtech Services Corp. | Interactive medication delivery system |
US5084828A (en) | 1989-09-29 | 1992-01-28 | Healthtech Services Corp. | Interactive medication delivery system |
US5150292A (en) | 1989-10-27 | 1992-09-22 | Arch Development Corporation | Method and system for determination of instantaneous and average blood flow rates from digital angiograms |
US5032112A (en) | 1989-11-22 | 1991-07-16 | Baxter International Inc. | Dual source intravenous administration set having an intravenous pump |
US5388139A (en) | 1989-12-07 | 1995-02-07 | Electromed International | High-voltage power supply and regulator circuit for an X-ray tube with closed-loop feedback for controlling X-ray exposure |
US5104374A (en) | 1990-01-16 | 1992-04-14 | Bishko Jay R | Electronic fluid flow rate controller for controlling the infusion of intravenous drugs into a patient |
US4995064A (en) | 1990-01-29 | 1991-02-19 | Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. | Continuously sweeping multiple-pass image acquisition system for peripheral angiography |
US5123056A (en) | 1990-02-02 | 1992-06-16 | Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. | Whole-leg x-ray image processing and display techniques |
US4981467A (en) | 1990-02-27 | 1991-01-01 | Baxter International Inc. | Apparatus and method for the detection of air in fluid delivery systems |
US5190744A (en) | 1990-03-09 | 1993-03-02 | Salutar | Methods for detecting blood perfusion variations by magnetic resonance imaging |
US5249579A (en) | 1990-03-09 | 1993-10-05 | E-Z-Em, Inc. | Contrast media injector |
US5287273A (en) | 1990-03-15 | 1994-02-15 | Mount Sinai School Of Medicine | Functional organ images |
US5249122A (en) | 1990-03-15 | 1993-09-28 | Mount Sinai School Of Medicine Of The City University Of New York | Method and apparatus for forming images using orthogonal polynomials for temporal deconvolution |
US5059173A (en) | 1990-04-04 | 1991-10-22 | Sacco John J | IV apparatus |
US5191878A (en) | 1990-04-12 | 1993-03-09 | Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. | Endoscope device |
US5078683A (en) | 1990-05-04 | 1992-01-07 | Block Medical, Inc. | Programmable infusion system |
US5199604A (en) | 1990-05-04 | 1993-04-06 | Sultan Chemists, Inc. | Irrigation system and method for delivering a selected one of multiple liquid solutions to a treatment site |
US5104387A (en) | 1990-05-25 | 1992-04-14 | St. Jude Medical, Inc. | Bi-planar fluid control valve |
US5108365A (en) | 1990-06-20 | 1992-04-28 | Woods Jr Walter T | Transluminal infusion of magnesium during coronary angioplasty |
US5059171A (en) | 1990-06-21 | 1991-10-22 | Boc Health Care, Inc. | Bubble detection system |
JPH0462798A (en) | 1990-06-29 | 1992-02-27 | Toshiba Corp | X-ray diagnostic device |
FR2664153B1 (en) | 1990-07-06 | 1992-09-11 | Gen Electric Cgr | RADIODIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM FOR ANGIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION WITH AUTOMATIC EMBLEM TRACKING DEVICE. |
CA2045070A1 (en) | 1990-07-31 | 1992-02-01 | Kazuaki Mizoguchi | Control system for dsa and ptca |
US5215095A (en) | 1990-08-10 | 1993-06-01 | University Technologies International | Optical imaging system for neurosurgery |
US5438989A (en) | 1990-08-10 | 1995-08-08 | Hochman; Darryl | Solid tumor, cortical function, and nerve tissue imaging methods and device |
JP2871037B2 (en) | 1990-08-31 | 1999-03-17 | 株式会社島津製作所 | Digital X-ray equipment |
MY106779A (en) | 1990-09-07 | 1995-07-31 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Magnetic recording method and circuit for toll road ticket. |
IL95743A (en) | 1990-09-19 | 1993-02-21 | Univ Ramot | Method of measuring blood flow |
US5392849A (en) | 1990-09-28 | 1995-02-28 | Matsushita Refrigeration Company | Layer-built heat exchanger |
US5180896A (en) | 1990-10-11 | 1993-01-19 | University Of Florida | System and method for in-line heating of medical fluid |
US5133336A (en) | 1990-10-22 | 1992-07-28 | Endoscopy Support Services, Inc. | Disposable liquid supply system for use in an endoscope |
JPH04160469A (en) | 1990-10-23 | 1992-06-03 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Automatic order vending management system using facsimile |
US5400792A (en) | 1990-11-20 | 1995-03-28 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Medical diagnostics installation controllable from a central work station |
US5140862A (en) | 1991-02-06 | 1992-08-25 | Pappalardo Joseph T | Injection pump calibration device |
GB2252656B (en) | 1991-02-11 | 1994-12-14 | Keymed | Improvements in endoscopy training apparatus |
JPH04322633A (en) | 1991-04-19 | 1992-11-12 | Olympus Optical Co Ltd | Endoscope |
US5450847A (en) | 1991-04-22 | 1995-09-19 | Schering Aktiengesellschaft | Process for making doses formulation of contrast media from concentrate |
DE4121568C2 (en) | 1991-04-22 | 1997-07-03 | Schering Ag | Method and device for producing a contrast medium from a concentrate |
US5339799A (en) | 1991-04-23 | 1994-08-23 | Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. | Medical system for reproducing a state of contact of the treatment section in the operation unit |
US5242390A (en) | 1991-05-03 | 1993-09-07 | Goldrath Milton H | Endometrium coagulating surgical method for thermal destruction of the endometrium |
JPH0767490B2 (en) | 1991-05-14 | 1995-07-26 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Medical infusion equipment |
US5196007A (en) | 1991-06-07 | 1993-03-23 | Alan Ellman | Electrosurgical handpiece with activator |
US5300031A (en) | 1991-06-07 | 1994-04-05 | Liebel-Flarsheim Company | Apparatus for injecting fluid into animals and disposable front loadable syringe therefor |
US5207645A (en) | 1991-06-25 | 1993-05-04 | Medication Delivery Devices | Infusion pump, treatment fluid bag therefor, and method for the use thereof |
JPH053867A (en) | 1991-06-28 | 1993-01-14 | Toshiba Corp | Three-dimensional image diagnosing device |
US5368570A (en) | 1991-11-12 | 1994-11-29 | Imed Corporation | Apparatus for infusing medical solutions |
DE4218321A1 (en) | 1991-12-09 | 1993-06-17 | Siemens Ag | DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM |
AU3329793A (en) | 1991-12-20 | 1993-07-28 | Abbott Laboratories | Infusion pump security system |
AU3415893A (en) | 1991-12-20 | 1993-07-28 | Abbott Laboratories | Automated drug infusion system with autopriming |
US5903454A (en) | 1991-12-23 | 1999-05-11 | Hoffberg; Linda Irene | Human-factored interface corporating adaptive pattern recognition based controller apparatus |
GB9203132D0 (en) | 1992-02-14 | 1992-04-01 | Univ Southampton | Computer assisted dynamic digital angiography |
US5273537A (en) | 1992-03-06 | 1993-12-28 | Scimed Life Systems, Inc. | Power-assisted inflation apparatus |
US5382232A (en) | 1992-03-13 | 1995-01-17 | Ivac Corporation | Infusion system with air-in-line clear function |
DE4210120C1 (en) | 1992-03-27 | 1993-08-05 | Siemens Ag, 8000 Muenchen, De | X=ray appts. for peripheral angiography - calculates relative positioning of appts. and patient support using data derived from patient |
US5311568A (en) | 1992-05-01 | 1994-05-10 | Picker International, Inc. | Optical alignment means utilizing inverse projection of a test pattern/target |
US5230614A (en) | 1992-06-03 | 1993-07-27 | Allergan, Inc. | Reduced pulsation tapered ramp pump head |
US5361761A (en) | 1992-06-17 | 1994-11-08 | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | Method and apparatus for measuring blood iodine concentration |
US5334141A (en) | 1992-06-26 | 1994-08-02 | Medrad, Inc. | Extravasation detection system and apparatus |
DE9390319U1 (en) | 1992-07-27 | 1995-03-23 | Schneider Usa Inc | Dilatation catheter with injection lumen |
US5352979A (en) | 1992-08-07 | 1994-10-04 | Conturo Thomas E | Magnetic resonance imaging with contrast enhanced phase angle reconstruction |
US5383858B1 (en) | 1992-08-17 | 1996-10-29 | Medrad Inc | Front-loading medical injector and syringe for use therewith |
US5292689A (en) | 1992-09-04 | 1994-03-08 | International Business Machines Corporation | Method for planarizing semiconductor structure using subminimum features |
US5310997A (en) | 1992-09-10 | 1994-05-10 | Tandy Corporation | Automated order and delivery system |
US5328463A (en) | 1992-09-18 | 1994-07-12 | Namic U.S.A. Corporation | Contrast media and fluid introduction system |
US5338662A (en) | 1992-09-21 | 1994-08-16 | Bio-Preserve Medical Corporation | Organ perfusion device |
US5295967A (en) | 1992-09-23 | 1994-03-22 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Syringe pump having continuous pressure monitoring and display |
US5376070A (en) | 1992-09-29 | 1994-12-27 | Minimed Inc. | Data transfer system for an infusion pump |
JP3660678B2 (en) | 1992-10-15 | 2005-06-15 | ザ ゼネラル ホスピタル コーポレーション | Infusion pump with electronically loadable drug library |
US5269756A (en) | 1992-11-13 | 1993-12-14 | Medicpro Inc. | Irrigation apparatus and method for suction catheters |
US5349635A (en) | 1992-11-19 | 1994-09-20 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Half-duplex or full-duplex automode operation for use in data communications equipment |
US5378231A (en) | 1992-11-25 | 1995-01-03 | Abbott Laboratories | Automated drug infusion system |
JPH06211323A (en) | 1992-11-30 | 1994-08-02 | Olympus Optical Co Ltd | Physical distribution control system |
GB9225014D0 (en) | 1992-11-30 | 1993-01-20 | Univ Hospital London Dev Corp | Pulse injector for quantitative angiographic blood-flow measurements |
US5468240A (en) | 1992-12-03 | 1995-11-21 | Conmed Corporation | Manual control device for laparoscopic instrument |
US5313992A (en) | 1992-12-11 | 1994-05-24 | Abbott Laboratories | Transfer tubing set for compounding solutions |
US5354273A (en) | 1992-12-14 | 1994-10-11 | Mallinckrodt Medical, Inc. | Delivery apparatus with pressure controlled delivery |
WO1994015664A1 (en) | 1993-01-07 | 1994-07-21 | Man Fai Shiu | Manifold |
US5474683A (en) | 1993-03-03 | 1995-12-12 | Deka Products Limited Partnership | Peritoneal dialysis systems and methods employing pneumatic pressure and temperature-corrected liquid volume measurements |
EP0619122A1 (en) | 1993-04-08 | 1994-10-12 | Getz Bros. Co.,Ltd. | Syringe control system for DSA and PTCA |
US5472403A (en) | 1993-05-11 | 1995-12-05 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Device for automatic injection of radionuclide |
US5385540A (en) | 1993-05-26 | 1995-01-31 | Quest Medical, Inc. | Cardioplegia delivery system |
US5590654A (en) | 1993-06-07 | 1997-01-07 | Prince; Martin R. | Method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of arteries using a magnetic resonance contrast agent |
US5417213A (en) | 1993-06-07 | 1995-05-23 | Prince; Martin R. | Magnetic resonance arteriography with dynamic intravenous contrast agents |
US5579767A (en) | 1993-06-07 | 1996-12-03 | Prince; Martin R. | Method for imaging abdominal aorta and aortic aneurysms |
US5373231A (en) | 1993-06-10 | 1994-12-13 | G. G. B. Industries, Inc. | Integrated circuit probing apparatus including a capacitor bypass structure |
US5469849A (en) | 1993-06-14 | 1995-11-28 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus |
DE4320365C2 (en) | 1993-06-19 | 2000-07-13 | Uvo Hoelscher | Multi-channel dosing system |
US5456255A (en) | 1993-07-12 | 1995-10-10 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus |
FR2708166A1 (en) | 1993-07-22 | 1995-01-27 | Philips Laboratoire Electroniq | A method of processing digitized images for the automatic detection of stenoses. |
DE4426387A1 (en) | 1993-07-28 | 1995-08-24 | Manfred Linner | X=Ray contrast medium injection system using catheter |
US5515851A (en) | 1993-07-30 | 1996-05-14 | Goldstein; James A. | Angiographic fluid control system |
US5368562A (en) | 1993-07-30 | 1994-11-29 | Pharmacia Deltec, Inc. | Systems and methods for operating ambulatory medical devices such as drug delivery devices |
US5827219A (en) | 1993-10-28 | 1998-10-27 | Medrad, Inc. | Injection system and pumping system for use therein |
EP0650738B1 (en) | 1993-10-28 | 2003-05-02 | Medrad, Inc. | Multi-patient fluid dispensing |
US5569181A (en) | 1993-10-28 | 1996-10-29 | Medrad, Inc. | Sterility assurance for contrast delivery system |
EP0650739B1 (en) | 1993-10-28 | 2003-02-26 | Medrad, Inc. | Total system for contrast delivery |
US5431627A (en) | 1993-11-12 | 1995-07-11 | Abbott Laboratories | Cassette identification system for use with a multi-program drug infusion pump |
US5460609A (en) | 1993-11-22 | 1995-10-24 | Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. | Electromechanical inflation/deflation system |
US5531697A (en) | 1994-04-15 | 1996-07-02 | Sims Deltec, Inc. | Systems and methods for cassette identification for drug pumps |
US5494036A (en) | 1993-11-26 | 1996-02-27 | Medrad, Inc. | Patient infusion system for use with MRI |
JPH07178169A (en) | 1993-12-24 | 1995-07-18 | Nemoto Kyorindo:Kk | Mri injecting device |
US5566092A (en) | 1993-12-30 | 1996-10-15 | Caterpillar Inc. | Machine fault diagnostics system and method |
US5464391A (en) | 1994-03-03 | 1995-11-07 | Northgate Technologies Inc. | Irrigation system for a surgical site |
US5531679A (en) | 1994-03-14 | 1996-07-02 | Schulman; Joseph H. | Fluidic infusion system for catheter or probe |
US5881124A (en) | 1994-03-31 | 1999-03-09 | Arch Development Corporation | Automated method and system for the detection of lesions in medical computed tomographic scans |
DE4415337A1 (en) | 1994-05-02 | 1995-11-09 | Bayer Ag | Process for the continuous production of nitrosyl chloride |
US5489265A (en) | 1994-06-15 | 1996-02-06 | Ivac Corporation | Restrictor fitting for an infusion pump |
US5458128A (en) | 1994-06-17 | 1995-10-17 | Polanyi; Michael | Method and apparatus for noninvasively measuring concentration of a dye in arterial blood |
US5513855A (en) | 1994-07-05 | 1996-05-07 | Ishikawa Gasket Co., Ltd. | Metal laminate gasket with engaging device having curved edges |
DE69526613T2 (en) | 1994-07-12 | 2002-08-29 | Medrad Inc | Information path control loop for a system that delivers medical fluids |
US5840026A (en) | 1994-09-21 | 1998-11-24 | Medrad, Inc. | Patient specific dosing contrast delivery systems and methods |
US5522798A (en) | 1994-10-17 | 1996-06-04 | Abbott Laboratories | Control of a multi-channel drug infusion pump using a pharmacokinetic model |
US5560317A (en) | 1994-10-19 | 1996-10-01 | N J Phillips Pty Limited | Mechanism to dispense medication to animals |
US5533978A (en) | 1994-11-07 | 1996-07-09 | Teirstein; Paul S. | Method and apparatus for uninterrupted delivery of radiographic dye |
US5459769A (en) | 1994-11-09 | 1995-10-17 | General Electric Company | Procedure for monitoring contrast agent application in a CT imaging system |
IL116328A (en) | 1994-12-16 | 1999-09-22 | Bracco Research Sa | Frozen suspension of gas microbubbles in frozen aqueous carrier for use as contrast agent in ultrasonic imaging |
US5724976A (en) | 1994-12-28 | 1998-03-10 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Ultrasound imaging preferable to ultrasound contrast echography |
US5544215A (en) | 1995-01-13 | 1996-08-06 | Picker International, Inc. | Digital angiography system with automatically determined frame rates |
US6656157B1 (en) | 1995-04-20 | 2003-12-02 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Infinitely refillable syringe |
US6099502A (en) | 1995-04-20 | 2000-08-08 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Dual port syringe |
US7267666B1 (en) | 1995-04-20 | 2007-09-11 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Angiographic injector system with multiple processor redundancy |
US5573515A (en) | 1995-04-20 | 1996-11-12 | Invasatec, Inc. | Self purging angiographic injector |
US6221045B1 (en) | 1995-04-20 | 2001-04-24 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Angiographic injector system with automatic high/low pressure switching |
ATE255926T1 (en) | 1995-04-20 | 2003-12-15 | Acist Medical Sys Inc | SELF-CLEANING INJECTOR FOR ANGIOGRAPHY |
US5882343A (en) | 1995-04-20 | 1999-03-16 | Invasatec, Inc. | Dual port syringe |
ATE251867T1 (en) | 1995-04-20 | 2003-11-15 | Acist Medical Sys Inc | ANGIOGRAPHIC INJECTOR |
US5743266A (en) | 1995-04-25 | 1998-04-28 | Molecular Biosystems, Inc. | Method for processing real-time contrast enhanced ultrasonic images |
US5601086A (en) | 1995-05-12 | 1997-02-11 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration | Beat frequency ultrasonic microsphere contrast agent detection system |
GB9511169D0 (en) | 1995-06-02 | 1995-07-26 | Lilly Co Eli | Containers for liquid medicaments |
US5902525A (en) | 1995-06-19 | 1999-05-11 | Hettinga; Siebolt | Method of molding a plastic article including injecting based upon a pressure-dominated control algorithm after detecting an indicia of a decrease in the surface area of the melt front |
US5569208A (en) | 1995-08-01 | 1996-10-29 | Merit Medical Systems, Inc. | System for managing delivery of contrast media |
US5583902A (en) | 1995-10-06 | 1996-12-10 | Bhb General Partnership | Method of and apparatus for predicting computed tomography contrast enhancement |
US5687208A (en) | 1995-10-06 | 1997-11-11 | Bhb General Partnership | Method of and apparatus for predicting computed tomography contrast enhancement with feedback |
US5687708A (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1997-11-18 | Gas Research Institute | Gas-fired batch booster water heater apparatus |
AU2149497A (en) | 1996-01-19 | 1997-08-11 | Schering Aktiengesellschaft | Optimizing doses of contrasting agent for imaging diagnostic methods |
FR2744058B1 (en) | 1996-01-31 | 1998-04-30 | Canon Research Centre France S | POWER SAVING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IMAGE TRANSFER SYSTEM |
US5814022A (en) | 1996-02-06 | 1998-09-29 | Plasmaseal Llc | Method and apparatus for applying tissue sealant |
US5611344A (en) | 1996-03-05 | 1997-03-18 | Acusphere, Inc. | Microencapsulated fluorinated gases for use as imaging agents |
US5713358A (en) | 1996-03-26 | 1998-02-03 | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | Method for producing a time-resolved series of 3D magnetic resonance angiograms during the first passage of contrast agent |
AU2454397A (en) | 1996-04-24 | 1997-11-12 | Shriners Hospital For Children | Method and apparatus for recording three-dimensional topographies |
NO303927B1 (en) | 1996-07-31 | 1998-09-28 | Medinnova Sf | Device for venous catheter for coaxial blood flow and use of a split needle for insertion into a vein |
US5796862A (en) | 1996-08-16 | 1998-08-18 | Eastman Kodak Company | Apparatus and method for identification of tissue regions in digital mammographic images |
US6186146B1 (en) | 1996-08-30 | 2001-02-13 | Delcath Systems Inc | Cancer treatment method |
US5846517A (en) | 1996-09-11 | 1998-12-08 | Imarx Pharmaceutical Corp. | Methods for diagnostic imaging using a renal contrast agent and a vasodilator |
US5865744A (en) | 1996-09-16 | 1999-02-02 | Lemelson; Jerome H. | Method and system for delivering therapeutic agents |
JP3700883B2 (en) | 1996-10-23 | 2005-09-28 | 株式会社安川電機 | Linear motor stator |
DE19647701A1 (en) | 1996-11-08 | 1998-05-14 | Schering Ag | Device for obtaining constant densities of contrast media in tissues and organs |
US5873861A (en) | 1996-11-12 | 1999-02-23 | Medrad, Inc. | Plunger systems |
US5947935A (en) | 1996-11-12 | 1999-09-07 | Medrad, Inc. | Syringes, syringe plungers and injector systems |
US5944694A (en) | 1996-11-12 | 1999-08-31 | Medrad, Inc. | Prefillable syringes and injectors for use therewith |
US6397093B1 (en) | 1996-12-05 | 2002-05-28 | Essential Medical Devices, Inc. | Non-invasive carboxyhemoglobin analyzer |
US6236706B1 (en) | 1996-12-12 | 2001-05-22 | General Electric Company | Methods and apparatus for predicting contrast agent uptake in a computed tomography system |
JP3678382B2 (en) | 1997-01-30 | 2005-08-03 | 株式会社東芝 | X-ray CT system |
WO1998040095A1 (en) | 1997-03-12 | 1998-09-17 | Meiji Milk Products Co., Ltd. | Preventive and therapeutic compositions for drug induced nephropathy and hepatitis |
US5808203A (en) | 1997-05-12 | 1998-09-15 | Medrad, Inc. | Fluid pressure measurement devices |
US6537222B1 (en) | 1997-08-26 | 2003-03-25 | Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. | Methods for the detection of contrast agents in ultrasonic imaging |
US6073042A (en) | 1997-09-25 | 2000-06-06 | Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. | Display of three-dimensional MRA images in which arteries can be distinguished from veins |
US5924987A (en) | 1997-10-06 | 1999-07-20 | Meaney; James F. M. | Method and apparatus for magnetic resonance arteriography using contrast agents |
US5988587A (en) | 1997-10-10 | 1999-11-23 | Invasatec, Inc. | Control device for providing a variable control signal to a fluid-supplying machine |
US5916165A (en) | 1997-11-06 | 1999-06-29 | Invasatec, Inc. | Pneumatic controller and method |
WO1999024095A2 (en) | 1997-11-07 | 1999-05-20 | Invasatec, Inc. | Angiographic injector system with multiple processor redundancy |
US5987347A (en) | 1997-12-15 | 1999-11-16 | General Electric Company | Method for removing streak artifacts in medical images |
DE19811349C1 (en) | 1998-03-16 | 1999-10-07 | Siemens Ag | Process for contrast substance tracing using medical imaging appts. |
US6381486B1 (en) | 1999-01-08 | 2002-04-30 | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | Magnetic resonance angiography with vessel segmentation |
US6554798B1 (en) | 1998-08-18 | 2003-04-29 | Medtronic Minimed, Inc. | External infusion device with remote programming, bolus estimator and/or vibration alarm capabilities |
JP2002523150A (en) | 1998-08-21 | 2002-07-30 | メドラッド インコーポレーテッド | Syringe connectors and tubing |
US6248093B1 (en) | 1998-10-29 | 2001-06-19 | Minimed Inc. | Compact pump drive system |
US7621893B2 (en) | 1998-10-29 | 2009-11-24 | Medtronic Minimed, Inc. | Methods and apparatuses for detecting occlusions in an ambulatory infusion pump |
JP4406104B2 (en) | 1998-12-16 | 2010-01-27 | 東芝医用システムエンジニアリング株式会社 | X-ray CT system |
DE19859811C2 (en) * | 1998-12-23 | 2001-05-10 | Hilekes Guido | Contrast agent injection system |
US20010018937A1 (en) | 1998-12-28 | 2001-09-06 | Shigeru Nemoto | Method and device for pre-filling a syringe with a contrast agent |
JP2000189515A (en) | 1998-12-28 | 2000-07-11 | Nemoto Kyorindo:Kk | Device and method for packing liquid chemicals |
EP1152688A1 (en) | 1999-01-21 | 2001-11-14 | Metasensors, Inc. | Non-invasive cardiac output and pulmonary function monitoring using respired gas analysis techniques and physiological modeling |
US6478735B1 (en) | 1999-01-28 | 2002-11-12 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration | Physiological feedback method and system |
US6556695B1 (en) | 1999-02-05 | 2003-04-29 | Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research | Method for producing high resolution real-time images, of structure and function during medical procedures |
US6313131B1 (en) | 1999-02-16 | 2001-11-06 | Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. | Method of kidney treatment |
US6423719B1 (en) | 1999-02-16 | 2002-07-23 | Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. | Method for treating benign prostate hyperplasia |
US6575930B1 (en) | 1999-03-12 | 2003-06-10 | Medrad, Inc. | Agitation devices and dispensing systems incorporating such agitation devices |
US6317623B1 (en) | 1999-03-12 | 2001-11-13 | Medrad, Inc. | Apparatus and method for controlling contrast enhanced imaging procedures |
ATE348993T1 (en) | 1999-03-27 | 2007-01-15 | Chart Heat Exchangers Ltd Part | HEAT EXCHANGER |
US6635030B1 (en) | 1999-04-09 | 2003-10-21 | B.H.B. Llc | Contrast injector for injecting a contrast medium to generate prolonged uniform vascular enhancement |
US6055985A (en) | 1999-04-09 | 2000-05-02 | B.H.B., L.C. | Methods for injecting a contrast medium to generate prolonged uniform vascular enhancement |
DE19919572C2 (en) | 1999-04-29 | 2002-04-18 | Fresenius Medical Care De Gmbh | Method and device for determining gas in medical liquids |
US6574496B1 (en) | 1999-05-19 | 2003-06-03 | Amersham Health As | Magnetic resonance imaging |
US6339718B1 (en) | 1999-07-30 | 2002-01-15 | Medrad, Inc. | Programmable injector control |
ES2162573B1 (en) | 1999-08-04 | 2002-08-01 | Probitas Pharma Sa | ANGIOGRAPHY DEVICE FOR CO2 INJECTION. |
US6527718B1 (en) | 1999-08-20 | 2003-03-04 | Brian G Connor | Ultrasound system for continuous imaging and delivery of an encapsulated agent |
US6387098B1 (en) | 1999-10-21 | 2002-05-14 | Peter Alexander Cole | Intramedullary catheter nail apparatus and method |
US6673033B1 (en) | 1999-11-24 | 2004-01-06 | Medrad, Inc. | Injectors, injector systems and injector control |
US6520930B2 (en) | 1999-11-24 | 2003-02-18 | Medrad, Inc. | Injectors, injector systems and injector control |
DE60011670T2 (en) | 1999-12-07 | 2004-10-21 | Medrad Inc | SYRINGES, SYRINGE HOSES AND LIQUID TRANSFER SYSTEMS |
US6652489B2 (en) | 2000-02-07 | 2003-11-25 | Medrad, Inc. | Front-loading medical injector and syringes, syringe interfaces, syringe adapters and syringe plungers for use therewith |
US6535821B2 (en) | 2000-02-11 | 2003-03-18 | University Of Iowa Research Foundation | System and method of bolus-chasing angiography with adaptive real-time computed tomography (CT) |
US6691047B1 (en) | 2000-03-16 | 2004-02-10 | Aksys, Ltd. | Calibration of pumps, such as blood pumps of dialysis machine |
US6626862B1 (en) | 2000-04-04 | 2003-09-30 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Fluid management and component detection system |
US6471674B1 (en) | 2000-04-21 | 2002-10-29 | Medrad, Inc. | Fluid delivery systems, injector systems and methods of fluid delivery |
US20030120171A1 (en) | 2000-09-08 | 2003-06-26 | Leonidas Diamantopoulos | Vasular temperature measuring device and process for measuring vascular temperature |
US7094216B2 (en) | 2000-10-18 | 2006-08-22 | Medrad, Inc. | Injection system having a pressure isolation mechanism and/or a handheld controller |
US6554819B2 (en) | 2001-01-09 | 2003-04-29 | Mount Sinai School Of Medicine Of New York University | Method and device for preventing contrast associated nephropathy |
WO2002058777A2 (en) | 2001-01-23 | 2002-08-01 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Method and apparatus to remove substances from vessels of the heart and other parts of the body to minimize or avoid renal or other harm or dysfunction |
US20020143294A1 (en) | 2001-02-14 | 2002-10-03 | Duchon Douglas J. | Catheter fluid control system |
WO2002068055A1 (en) | 2001-02-26 | 2002-09-06 | Rheologics, Inc. | Method and apparatus for mitigating renal failure using mechanical vibration including ultrasound and / or heat |
US6775764B1 (en) | 2001-04-24 | 2004-08-10 | Cisco Technology, Inc | Search function for data lookup |
US7308300B2 (en) | 2001-05-30 | 2007-12-11 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Medical injection system |
US6597938B2 (en) | 2001-08-16 | 2003-07-22 | Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V. | System for assistance of parameter determination and diagnosis in MRI dynamic uptake studies |
JP4669644B2 (en) | 2001-09-21 | 2011-04-13 | ジーイー・メディカル・システムズ・グローバル・テクノロジー・カンパニー・エルエルシー | Contrast medium amount calculation apparatus, contrast medium injection apparatus, and tomographic imaging apparatus |
JP4216496B2 (en) | 2001-10-16 | 2009-01-28 | 株式会社東芝 | Index calculation method, apparatus and program code for blood flow dynamics of capillaries in brain tissue |
US8540698B2 (en) | 2004-04-16 | 2013-09-24 | Medrad, Inc. | Fluid delivery system including a fluid path set and a check valve connector |
US20070161970A1 (en) | 2004-04-16 | 2007-07-12 | Medrad, Inc. | Fluid Delivery System, Fluid Path Set, and Pressure Isolation Mechanism with Hemodynamic Pressure Dampening Correction |
US7563249B2 (en) | 2002-12-20 | 2009-07-21 | Medrad, Inc. | Syringe having an alignment flange, an extending lip and a radial expansion section of reduced wall thickness |
US7611503B2 (en) | 2004-04-16 | 2009-11-03 | Medrad, Inc. | Fluid delivery system, fluid path set, sterile connector and improved drip chamber and pressure isolation mechanism |
US7291126B2 (en) | 2001-11-26 | 2007-11-06 | Nilimedix Ltd. | Drug delivery device and method |
JP4230724B2 (en) | 2001-12-20 | 2009-02-25 | 株式会社東芝 | X-ray computed tomography system |
JP2003210456A (en) | 2002-01-21 | 2003-07-29 | Toshiba Corp | Processor for time series image |
WO2004069153A2 (en) | 2003-01-27 | 2004-08-19 | Medrad, Inc. | Apparatus, system and method for generating bubbles on demand |
JP4193168B2 (en) | 2002-02-01 | 2008-12-10 | 株式会社日立メディコ | Apparatus and method for analyzing blood flow dynamics |
US6776764B2 (en) | 2002-03-01 | 2004-08-17 | University Of Pittsburgh Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education | Use of aortic pulse pressure and flow in bedside hemodynamic management |
US6685733B1 (en) | 2002-04-10 | 2004-02-03 | Radiant Medical, Inc. | Methods and systems for reducing substance-induced renal damage |
US7553294B2 (en) | 2002-05-30 | 2009-06-30 | Medrad, Inc. | Syringe plunger sensing mechanism for a medical injector |
US7553295B2 (en) | 2002-06-17 | 2009-06-30 | Iradimed Corporation | Liquid infusion apparatus |
US20040011740A1 (en) | 2002-06-26 | 2004-01-22 | Bernard Steven J. | Method and device for removal of radiocontrast media from blood |
US7163520B2 (en) | 2002-06-26 | 2007-01-16 | Chf Solutions, Inc. | Method and device for removal of radiocontrast media from blood |
DE10230877A1 (en) | 2002-07-09 | 2004-02-12 | Siemens Ag | Magnetic resonance imaging device with a device for the graphic planning of contrast medium-based angiographic measurements |
US7267667B2 (en) | 2002-07-11 | 2007-09-11 | Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. | Fluid management system for coronary intervention |
US6929619B2 (en) | 2002-08-02 | 2005-08-16 | Liebel-Flarshiem Company | Injector |
JP2004065736A (en) | 2002-08-08 | 2004-03-04 | Nemoto Kyorindo:Kk | Liquid medicine injection apparatus |
US20040025452A1 (en) | 2002-08-12 | 2004-02-12 | Mclean Frederick Bruce | Baluster retaining member |
JP4620929B2 (en) | 2002-09-26 | 2011-01-26 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device |
EP1556104B1 (en) | 2002-10-16 | 2008-04-02 | Abbott Laboratories | Medical cassette pump with single force sensor to determine the operating status |
US6983590B2 (en) | 2002-10-22 | 2006-01-10 | General Motors Corporation | Secondary air injection diagnostic system using pressure feedback |
US6866653B2 (en) | 2002-10-31 | 2005-03-15 | Kyongtae T. Bae | Method and apparatus for sequential delivery of multiple injectable substances stored in a prefilled syringe |
ITMO20020321A1 (en) | 2002-11-06 | 2004-05-07 | Sidam Di Azzolini Graziano E C S A S | GROUP FOR THE MIXING OF INSERIBLE FLUIDS ALONG LINES |
US7599730B2 (en) | 2002-11-19 | 2009-10-06 | Medtronic Navigation, Inc. | Navigation system for cardiac therapies |
JP2004174008A (en) | 2002-11-28 | 2004-06-24 | Olympus Corp | Endoscope information system, endoscope and program |
JP4180936B2 (en) | 2003-02-06 | 2008-11-12 | ジーイー・メディカル・システムズ・グローバル・テクノロジー・カンパニー・エルエルシー | Magnetic resonance imaging device |
JP4731795B2 (en) | 2003-02-18 | 2011-07-27 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device |
WO2004075948A2 (en) | 2003-02-24 | 2004-09-10 | Plc Systems, Inc. | A method and catheter system applicable to acute renal failure |
JP4481582B2 (en) | 2003-04-01 | 2010-06-16 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection system |
JP2006522658A (en) | 2003-04-08 | 2006-10-05 | メドラッド インコーポレーテッド | Fluid transport system, fluid transport device, and method for transporting hazardous fluid |
JP2007521233A (en) | 2003-08-05 | 2007-08-02 | フロウメディカ, インコーポレイテッド | System and method for the prevention of radiocontrast-induced nephropathy |
GB0323918D0 (en) | 2003-10-11 | 2003-11-12 | Kvaerner Process Systems As | Fluid phase distribution adjuster |
US7666169B2 (en) | 2003-11-25 | 2010-02-23 | Medrad, Inc. | Syringe and syringe plungers for use with medical injectors |
GB2434003B (en) | 2004-03-05 | 2008-09-24 | Waters Investments Ltd | Pressure monitor optimization of fluid path utilization |
US7556619B2 (en) | 2004-04-16 | 2009-07-07 | Medrad, Inc. | Fluid delivery system having a fluid level sensor and a fluid control device for isolating a patient from a pump device |
US8038682B2 (en) | 2004-08-17 | 2011-10-18 | Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. | Apparatus and methods for delivering compounds into vertebrae for vertebroplasty |
US20060074294A1 (en) | 2004-10-06 | 2006-04-06 | E-Z-Em, Inc. | Medical imaging system, dispensing system, method, and computer program product for assessing patient renal function prior to dispensing a contrast media as part of a medical imaging procedure |
US20060079842A1 (en) | 2004-10-13 | 2006-04-13 | Liebel-Flarsheim Company | Powerhead control in a power injection system |
US7507221B2 (en) | 2004-10-13 | 2009-03-24 | Mallinckrodt Inc. | Powerhead of a power injection system |
EP2684521A1 (en) | 2004-11-16 | 2014-01-15 | Medrad Inc. | Modeling of pharmaceutical propagation |
EP2902053B1 (en) | 2004-11-24 | 2017-09-06 | Bayer Healthcare LLC | Devices, systems and methods for fluid delivery |
US7927270B2 (en) | 2005-02-24 | 2011-04-19 | Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. | External mechanical pressure sensor for gastric band pressure measurements |
US7766883B2 (en) | 2007-10-30 | 2010-08-03 | Medrad, Inc. | System and method for proportional mixing and continuous delivery of fluids |
WO2006124634A1 (en) | 2005-05-16 | 2006-11-23 | Mallinckrodt Inc. | Multi-barrel syringe having integral manifold |
JP2007090138A (en) | 2005-09-27 | 2007-04-12 | Yokogawa Electric Corp | Cartridge for chemical treatments, and its using method |
US8852167B2 (en) | 2005-12-01 | 2014-10-07 | Bayer Medical Care Inc. | Medical connector |
CA3213521A1 (en) | 2006-02-09 | 2007-08-16 | Deka Products Limited Partnership | Peripheral systems |
US8579884B2 (en) | 2006-02-09 | 2013-11-12 | Deka Products Limited Partnership | Infusion pump assembly |
JP5117376B2 (en) | 2006-04-04 | 2013-01-16 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device |
JPWO2007116840A1 (en) | 2006-04-04 | 2009-08-20 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device |
JP5227791B2 (en) | 2006-04-05 | 2013-07-03 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device |
WO2007116891A1 (en) | 2006-04-06 | 2007-10-18 | Nemoto Kyorindo Co., Ltd. | Chemical injector |
WO2007133942A2 (en) | 2006-05-11 | 2007-11-22 | Acist Medical System, Inc. | Air purge in a fluid injection system |
US7674244B2 (en) * | 2006-05-23 | 2010-03-09 | Medrad, Inc. | Devices, systems and methods for detecting increase fluid levels in tissue |
US20080045925A1 (en) | 2006-06-19 | 2008-02-21 | Stepovich Matthew J | Drug delivery system |
EP1875933A1 (en) | 2006-07-06 | 2008-01-09 | Debiotech S.A. | Medical device for delivery of a solution |
US7861893B2 (en) | 2006-11-10 | 2011-01-04 | Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. | Adhesive dispenser for surgery |
JP5203971B2 (en) | 2006-12-22 | 2013-06-05 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device |
US7967783B2 (en) | 2007-02-26 | 2011-06-28 | Carefusion 303, Inc. | Automatic relay pump system and method |
USD847985S1 (en) | 2007-03-14 | 2019-05-07 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Syringe plunger cover |
AU2008237136A1 (en) | 2007-04-05 | 2008-10-16 | Micromed Technology, Inc. | Blood pump system |
EP2152337B1 (en) | 2007-05-04 | 2013-04-17 | Mallinckrodt LLC | Methods for controlling medical fluid injections |
US9333293B2 (en) | 2007-05-09 | 2016-05-10 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Injector device, method, and computer program product for detecting a vacuum within a syringe |
US7688057B2 (en) | 2007-07-10 | 2010-03-30 | Rosemount Inc. | Noise diagnosis of operating conditions for an electromagnetic flowmeter |
JP4960180B2 (en) | 2007-08-31 | 2012-06-27 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device and chemical injection system |
WO2009051995A1 (en) | 2007-10-19 | 2009-04-23 | Medrad, Inc. | Methods for capicitance volume correction in fluid delivery systems |
JP5579616B2 (en) | 2007-11-19 | 2014-08-27 | マリンクロッド エルエルシー | Fluid delivery system having a multi-dose fluid source |
CN101868268B (en) | 2007-11-20 | 2015-01-07 | 马林克罗特有限公司 | Power injector with ram retraction |
US8002736B2 (en) | 2007-12-21 | 2011-08-23 | Carticept Medical, Inc. | Injection systems for delivery of fluids to joints |
US9408971B2 (en) | 2008-03-31 | 2016-08-09 | Covidien Lp | Self-capping syringe assembly with one-way valve |
US8834446B2 (en) | 2008-06-12 | 2014-09-16 | DePuy Synthes Products, LLC | Pulsatile flux drug delivery |
WO2010027636A1 (en) | 2008-08-25 | 2010-03-11 | Mallinckrodt Inc. | Medical fluid injector calibration apparatus |
US8608699B2 (en) | 2009-03-31 | 2013-12-17 | Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. | Systems and methods to address air, leaks and occlusions in an insulin pump system |
US9514279B2 (en) | 2009-05-05 | 2016-12-06 | Carefusion 303, Inc. | Model-based infusion site monitor |
US8343098B2 (en) | 2009-06-29 | 2013-01-01 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Method and system for removing air from a flow path of a fluid injection device |
US9867788B2 (en) | 2009-07-09 | 2018-01-16 | Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. | Multi-chamber cellular mixing and delivery system and method |
WO2011011346A1 (en) | 2009-07-24 | 2011-01-27 | Medrad, Inc. | Multi-fluid medical injector system and methods of operation |
US8175222B2 (en) | 2009-08-27 | 2012-05-08 | Varian Medical Systems, Inc. | Electron emitter and method of making same |
US9480791B2 (en) | 2009-12-21 | 2016-11-01 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Pumping devices, systems and methods for use with medical fluids including compensation for variations in pressure or flow rate |
US9492607B2 (en) | 2010-02-05 | 2016-11-15 | Deka Products Limited Partnership | Infusion pump apparatus, method and system |
JP5804543B2 (en) | 2010-04-05 | 2015-11-04 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Mixing device, mixing tube, chemical solution injection system, and method for mixing chemical solutions |
WO2011125987A1 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-10-13 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Drug solution injection device |
US8366658B2 (en) | 2010-05-06 | 2013-02-05 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Systems and methods for providing a closed venting hazardous drug IV set |
CN103269737B (en) | 2010-10-07 | 2017-06-06 | 麻省理工学院 | Use the injecting method of servo-controlled needleless injector |
CA2818224C (en) | 2010-11-24 | 2019-10-29 | Mallinckrodt Llc | Medical fluid injector system |
US20130245604A1 (en) | 2010-11-29 | 2013-09-19 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Auto-Injector Device with a Medicated Module |
CN103260734B (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2016-03-09 | 赢创有限公司 | Be used for preparing equipment and the method for emulsion |
US20120204997A1 (en) | 2011-02-15 | 2012-08-16 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Monitoring injector operation |
US20120245560A1 (en) | 2011-03-22 | 2012-09-27 | Hochman Mark N | Multi-vessel computer control drug delivery |
US20130123619A1 (en) | 2011-05-04 | 2013-05-16 | Acist Medical Systems, Inc. | Hemodynamic pressure sensor test system and method |
EP2707049B1 (en) | 2011-05-12 | 2019-07-03 | Bayer Healthcare LLC | Fluid injection system having various systems for controlling an injection procedure |
RU2605151C2 (en) | 2011-07-18 | 2016-12-20 | Либэль-Фларшайм Кампани ЭлЭлСи | Injection system with capacitive measurement |
EP2551523A1 (en) | 2011-07-29 | 2013-01-30 | Debiotech S.A. | Method and device for accurate and low-consumption mems micropump actuation |
CN103998075B (en) | 2011-09-21 | 2016-11-02 | 拜耳医药保健有限责任公司 | Continuous print multiple fluid pump device, driving and actuating system and method |
JP5490840B2 (en) | 2012-03-21 | 2014-05-14 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Chemical injection device and chemical injection system |
CA2868801C (en) | 2012-03-30 | 2021-07-13 | Hospira, Inc. | Air detection system and method for detecting air in a pump of an infusion system |
US9259527B2 (en) | 2012-10-17 | 2016-02-16 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid delivery system with high and low pressure hand manifold |
EP2934318B1 (en) | 2012-12-19 | 2020-05-13 | Koninklijke Philips N.V. | X-ray controlled contrast agent injection |
US9555379B2 (en) | 2013-03-13 | 2017-01-31 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid path set with turbulent mixing chamber, backflow compensator |
US20140276379A1 (en) | 2013-03-15 | 2014-09-18 | Medrad, Inc. | Intelligent and configurable fluid delivery system and methods for its use |
US9517305B2 (en) | 2013-03-15 | 2016-12-13 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Medical fluid injector |
US11058811B2 (en) | 2013-03-15 | 2021-07-13 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Intelligent and configurable fluid delivery system and methods for its use |
US10441775B2 (en) | 2013-05-01 | 2019-10-15 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid path set bolus control device |
US10046112B2 (en) | 2013-05-24 | 2018-08-14 | Icu Medical, Inc. | Multi-sensor infusion system for detecting air or an occlusion in the infusion system |
JP6507159B2 (en) | 2013-10-18 | 2019-04-24 | バイエル・ヘルスケア・エルエルシーBayer HealthCare LLC | Magnetic pressure jacket for fluid injection devices |
DE102013113387A1 (en) | 2013-12-03 | 2015-06-03 | Ulrich Gmbh & Co. Kg | Injector for injecting a fluid and method for controlling an injector |
WO2015106107A1 (en) | 2014-01-10 | 2015-07-16 | Bayer Medical Care Inc. | Single-use disposable set connector |
US20170143898A1 (en) | 2014-04-02 | 2017-05-25 | David Grosse-Wentrup | Infusion system and method for integrity monitoring of an infusion system |
US9861752B2 (en) | 2014-04-18 | 2018-01-09 | Covidien Lp | Mixing nozzle |
KR102462244B1 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2022-11-03 | 바이엘 헬스케어 엘엘씨 | Syringe with rolling diaphragm |
US10391234B2 (en) | 2014-06-09 | 2019-08-27 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Tubing assemby |
JP6227791B2 (en) | 2014-08-14 | 2017-11-08 | 富士フイルム株式会社 | Ion exchange membrane, method for producing the same, module and apparatus |
DE102014013152A1 (en) | 2014-09-04 | 2016-03-10 | Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh | A method for determining a system compressibility value of a medical diaphragm pump drive |
NO2689315T3 (en) | 2014-10-28 | 2018-04-14 | ||
US9199033B1 (en) | 2014-10-28 | 2015-12-01 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Self-orienting syringe and syringe interface |
WO2016081367A1 (en) | 2014-11-18 | 2016-05-26 | Sunedison Semiconductor Limited | HIGH RESISTIVITY SILICON-ON-INSULATOR SUBSTRATE COMPRISING A CHARGE TRAPPING LAYER FORMED BY He-N2 CO-IMPLANTATION |
WO2016112163A1 (en) | 2015-01-09 | 2016-07-14 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Multiple fluid delivery system with multi-use disposable set and features thereof |
TWI621454B (en) | 2015-04-24 | 2018-04-21 | 拜耳保健公司 | Syringe with rolling diaphragm |
CN107614035A (en) | 2015-05-27 | 2018-01-19 | 拜耳医药保健有限公司 | fluid injection system and feature |
ES2952520T3 (en) | 2015-08-28 | 2023-10-31 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | System and procedure for verification of syringe fluid filling and image recognition of the characteristics of the energy injector system |
CA3006951A1 (en) | 2015-12-04 | 2017-06-08 | Icu Medical, Inc. | Systems, methods, and components for transferring medical fluids |
WO2017152036A1 (en) | 2016-03-03 | 2017-09-08 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems |
US20170258982A1 (en) | 2016-03-10 | 2017-09-14 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | System and methods for pre-injection pressure prediction in injection procedures |
JP2019528904A (en) | 2016-09-29 | 2019-10-17 | コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エヌ ヴェKoninklijke Philips N.V. | Piezoelectric membrane pump for liquid injection |
AU2017345167B2 (en) | 2016-10-17 | 2022-12-15 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid injector with syringe engagement mechanism |
CA3040480C (en) | 2016-10-17 | 2024-01-23 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Fluid injector with syringe engagement mechanism |
WO2018089882A1 (en) | 2016-11-14 | 2018-05-17 | Bayer Healthcare Llc | Methods and systems for verifying the contents of a syringe used for medical fluid delivery |
JP6884367B2 (en) | 2016-11-17 | 2021-06-09 | 株式会社根本杏林堂 | Injection protocol generator, injection apparatus and imaging system equipped with the generator, injection protocol generation method, and injection protocol generation program. |
-
2017
- 2017-03-03 WO PCT/US2017/020637 patent/WO2017152036A1/en active Application Filing
- 2017-03-03 US US16/081,202 patent/US10898638B2/en active Active
- 2017-03-03 EP EP17711933.6A patent/EP3423130A1/en active Pending
-
2021
- 2021-01-25 US US17/157,506 patent/US11672902B2/en active Active
-
2023
- 2023-06-09 US US18/208,021 patent/US20230347043A1/en active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP3423130A1 (en) | 2019-01-09 |
US20210138148A1 (en) | 2021-05-13 |
US11672902B2 (en) | 2023-06-13 |
US10898638B2 (en) | 2021-01-26 |
WO2017152036A1 (en) | 2017-09-08 |
US20190083699A1 (en) | 2019-03-21 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US11672902B2 (en) | System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems | |
US11826553B2 (en) | Fluid path impedance assessment for improving fluid delivery performance | |
JP7372153B2 (en) | Systems and methods with transition steps in multi-step injection protocols | |
US9114215B2 (en) | Multiple compartment syringe | |
US11779702B2 (en) | Method for dynamic pressure control in a fluid injector system | |
JP7317724B2 (en) | Liquid injector system volume compensation system and method | |
US20210220557A1 (en) | Fluid injector system with improved ratio performance | |
JP2023528849A (en) | Systems, methods, and computer program products for controlling fluid injection systems based on hydraulic resistance | |
JP7450608B2 (en) | Fluid injector system, method for preventing fluid backflow, and computer program product | |
US20240131268A1 (en) | Fluid path impedance assessment for improving fluid delivery performance |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: BAYER HEALTHCARE LLC, NEW JERSEY Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SPOHN, MICHAEL A.;UBER, ARTHUR E., III;SCHRIVER, RALPH H.;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20160408 TO 20170323;REEL/FRAME:064951/0176 |