JP2019162474A - Monitoring of manual operation syringe - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a device for monitoring a manual operation syringe.SOLUTION: A device 1 for monitoring a syringe comprises a base 4 including a syringe insertion port 5 which receives a syringe dispensation tip 21 configured to be connected to a medicine dosage point on a patient. The base is configured so that a syringe barrel 22 is not in a direct contact with the base when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port and at least a part of the syringe barrel protrudes from the base in a direction of the barrel axial line BA. The device further comprises an image acquisition system 6 arranged on the base. The image acquisition system takes an image of at least a part of a syringe plunger 23 when the syringe is in an inserted state into the insertion port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1a

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring a manually operated syringe.

  In a hospital environment, patients may be regularly infused with medication. In many cases, such operations are performed manually, and the recording and monitoring of drug administration to the patient is also performed manually, so some of the operations may not be properly recorded.

  For example, tension status in the operating room, ICU, or emergency area and the resulting record management priority may not be stored in the patient's medical records when the patient receives medication, or at least the desired accuracy. May cause a condition that is not stored in detail.

  On the other hand, monitoring drug administration and storing information for future reference is essential for correct treatment.

  An automatic pharmaceutical delivery device capable of monitoring drug delivery and recording related events is known, for example, from US Pat. The system includes placing a syringe (Note: syringe or syringe-like object) in a cradle to automatically deliver medication to a patient and reading data from a special label associated with the syringe.

  When the syringe is arranged in the cradle, the caregiver's operability is limited, and the caregiver is forced to change the normal working method. Moreover, it takes time and effort to insert the syringe into the apparatus. In addition, the cradle and reading system renders standard syringes and labels unusable.

  U.S. Patent No. 6,099,037 addresses the problem of manual record management and discloses a pharmaceutical delivery device for use with a syringe. The syringe is provided with an information source that provides detectable information indicating the amount of medication and / or its contents in the syringe. The apparatus includes an identification sensor that detects data at an information source and a fluid delivery sensor.

  However, according to this document, the sensor is arranged to read the area at the tip of the syringe, so the information source must be located in this area. This has several disadvantages, for example because of the small space available and because standard syringes and labels cannot be used. Furthermore, fluid delivery sensors are expensive and prone to error at various flow rates.

  It would be desirable to provide a device that can monitor a manually operated syringe while providing a significant degree of operability to the caregiver and substantially reducing the disadvantages of the prior art.

US Pat. No. 5,651,775 US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0112474

According to one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for monitoring a manually operated syringe including a dispensing tip, a syringe barrel having a syringe barrel axis, and a syringe plunger.
A base adapted to be connected to a patient's medication administration point, comprising a syringe insertion port adapted to receive a syringe dispensing tip, wherein the syringe barrel when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port Configured so that the syringe barrel does not directly contact the base and at least a portion of the syringe barrel protrudes from the base in the direction of the barrel axis;
An image acquisition system disposed on the base and adapted to capture an image of at least a portion of the syringe plunger when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port;
It is related with the apparatus provided with.

  The device (of the present invention) provides a good overview of the entire circumference of the syringe, and the device can automatically record the necessary data from the syringe operation, so fill in patient records and save relevant data This allows the caregiver to quickly insert the standard syringe into the standard access port and to manipulate it manually without worrying about doing it.

  In particular, an image acquisition system adapted to capture an image of at least a portion of a syringe plunger when the syringe is inserted into an insertion port determines the stroke of the plunger during manual operation of the syringe and is therefore delivered The amount of drug dispensed can be determined.

  Thus, the device (of the present invention) operates minimally invasive for the practitioner and does not require changes to current medical practice. That is, this device is basically transparent for medical workflows (Note: meaning transparent, meaning that the user does not need to be aware).

  The device can be implanted in a small device that can be held close to the patient, such as a watch.

  In some embodiments, the image acquisition system is adapted to capture an image of at least a portion of the syringe barrel as the syringe is inserted into the insertion port. This allows the use of standard data labels that can be attached to the barrel.

  In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for monitoring a manually operated syringe, the base being adapted to connect to a patient's medication administration point and including a syringe insertion port and an image acquisition system. Detecting the insertion of the syringe into the insertion port; identifying the contents of the syringe; obtaining a sequential image of the syringe plunger; and processing the image to determine at least an initial plunger position and a final plunger position. And determining.

  Further objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the specification, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

  Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an apparatus for monitoring a manually operated syringe. 2 is a schematic diagram of two embodiments (one of two) of the arrangement of the image acquisition system on the base. 2 is a schematic diagram of two embodiments of the arrangement of the image acquisition system on the base (the other of them). FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an apparatus for monitoring a manually operated syringe. Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of an apparatus for monitoring a manually operated syringe. 4a, 4b and 4c are schematic diagrams showing how an embodiment of the device image acquisition system captures an image of a syringe barrel. 4a, 4b and 4c are schematic diagrams showing how an embodiment of the device image acquisition system captures an image of a syringe barrel. 4a, 4b and 4c are schematic diagrams showing how an embodiment of the device image acquisition system captures an image of a syringe barrel. 5a and 5b are schematic diagrams showing how an embodiment of the device image acquisition system captures an image of a syringe barrel. 5a and 5b are schematic diagrams showing how an embodiment of the device image acquisition system captures an image of a syringe barrel. 6a and 6b illustrate an embodiment of a method for monitoring a syringe. 6a and 6b illustrate an embodiment of a method for monitoring a syringe. FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a method for monitoring a syringe. Figures 8a and 8b illustrate an embodiment of a method for monitoring a syringe.

  In some embodiments, a device 1 for monitoring a manually operated syringe 2 includes a base 4 as shown in FIG. 1 intended to connect to a patient's medication administration point. The base 4 is provided with a syringe insertion port 5 for receiving the dispensing tip 21 of the syringe 2, for example, a Luer port. The syringe 2 is shown with the data label 3 attached to it, in this case the syringe barrel 22. The data label 3 can be a standard label printed for human reading and / or a code, such as a bar code or QR code (registered trademark) (quick response code) for identifying, inter alia, medicine, syringe size, etc. ) Can be included.

  The base 4 can itself be attached to the patient, for example taped to the skin or fixed with a strap, and the port 5 is in fluid communication with an intravenous cannula (not shown) for intravenous injection, for example. Can do. However, the base 4 can also be placed close to the patient and the port 5 is connected to the intravenous infusion tube set (Y) so that medication can be delivered to the patient from the manually operated syringe using the port 5 of the device 1. Set, T set, etc.).

  It will be appreciated that the device 1 can be portable, i.e. it can be conveniently carried by a caregiver (or caretaker) and attached to a patient.

  As can be seen, the base 4 is configured such that when the syringe 2 is inserted into the device, at least a portion of the syringe barrel 22 protrudes from the base in the direction of the barrel axis BA and does not directly contact the base. . That is, since the space around the syringe barrel is vacant, a doctor, nurse, or other caregiver using the device 1 to manually deliver medication from the syringe to the patient can hold the syringe by hand. The operation he / she performs can be easily controlled with enough space and the syringe barrel visible from any angle.

  The apparatus 1 also includes an image acquisition system 6 disposed on the base 4 such that at least a portion of the syringe barrel 22 or syringe plunger 23 enters the field of view of the image acquisition system 6 when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port. Can also be provided. Accordingly, the system 6 can be adapted to capture an image of at least a portion of the syringe barrel 22 or syringe plunger 23.

  The apparatus 1 also controls the operation of the image acquisition system 6 and stores and / or transmits the generated image and / or data derived from the image to a computer system (not shown in FIG. 1). Can also be provided. For example, the device may be used to determine the length of a syringe plunger stroke and / or attached to a syringe barrel to determine the amount of medication delivered to a patient, as will be described in further detail below. The identification label is read and used to reliably identify the medication to be delivered.

  Thus, the embodiment of the device allows the caregiver to easily insert the syringe 2 into the port 5 and manually deliver the medication from the syringe to the patient, during which the control unit can control the image acquisition system. 6 to automatically acquire images from the syringe barrel and / or syringe plunger and process them to obtain the desired data, such as the drug being delivered, the amount delivered, etc., and finally these It will be appreciated that other data can be stored / transmitted to a computer system.

  In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 1, the entire length of the syringe barrel 22 can protrude from the base 4. However, the device 1 can also be designed so that only a part of the barrel protrudes, for example at least half of the barrel or at least one third of the barrel.

  In some embodiments, the optical axis OA of the image acquisition system intersects the syringe barrel axis BA at a point outside the base 4, for example at a point within the length of the barrel 22, as shown in FIG. Can do.

  In fact, in such an embodiment, the image acquisition system 6 is disposed on the base 4, generally near the syringe insertion port 5, so that the optical axis OA of the system 6 is relative to the syringe barrel axis BA. And inclined with respect to the surface of the barrel 22. That is, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the optical axis OA does not intersect the surface of the barrel at a right angle.

  This means that no camera or other element needs to be present at a position substantially higher than the base 4 around the syringe barrel 22. This arrangement of the image acquisition system thus allows free space to be left around the syringe barrel 22 and facilitates caregiver observation and manipulation.

  In some embodiments, the optical axis OA of the optical system can be tilted at an angle between 30 ° and 90 ° with respect to the plane of the base (ie, relative to the plane perpendicular to the barrel axis BA).

  By optical axis OA is meant in this document the axis of the optical path resulting from the placement of the image acquisition system 6 and is strictly a specific physical imaging that can be arranged in the base in several ways. It does not mean the geometric axis of the device.

  In some embodiments, the image acquisition system 6 can be located at a distance of less than 20 cm from the insertion port 5. In some embodiments, this distance can be less than 10 cm.

  In a simple embodiment, the image acquisition system 6 can include, for example, a single unit 61, such as a camera or a video camera. An example of a suitable unit 61 is shown very schematically in the enlarged view portion of FIG. The unit 61 includes a solid state sensor 62 such as a CCD or CMOS sensor that records an image, and an optical system 63 that focuses the image of the syringe barrel 22 or plunger 23 onto the sensor 62, such as one or more suitable lenses. be able to.

  The image acquisition system 6 can also include a number of sensors and optics disposed on the base 4 and distributed around the insertion port 5. For example, the system may include several units 61, for example two units as shown in FIG. 1, but for example three, four, five or six units 61 or more may be connected to port 5 Can be arranged on the base 4 around each so as to cover the corners of the syringe barrel 22.

  In some embodiments, a mirror or so as to deflect (or refract) the optical path toward the syringe barrel by disposing the unit 61 on the base 4 in a direction opposite (away from) the syringe. By attaching a suitable tilt to the reflecting prism, the optical distance between the imaging system and the syringe can be increased.

  For example, FIG. 1 b is a schematic partial front view showing the unit 61 arranged in the direction opposite to the syringe (the direction away from the syringe) and the mirror 65 arranged around the base 4.

  The units 61 can have their axes arranged radially on the base 4, but in order to further increase the length of the optical path, as shown schematically in the plan view of FIG. It can also be arranged diagonally. The surface of each mirror 65 is then tilted in two different directions (horizontal and vertical) as appropriate to deflect (or refract) the optical path in the direction of the syringe.

  FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the device 1 with an image acquisition system in which six units 61 each containing an optical system and a solid state sensor are distributed around the port 5 and arranged on the base 4. In the particular embodiment shown, the base 4 has a groove 41 for receiving the tubing 43 and 44 of the intravenous infusion system in communication with the syringe insertion port 5.

  FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the device 1 with an image acquisition system 6 having four units distributed around the port 5 on a horseshoe-shaped base 4. Device 1 is shown attached to the patient's hand with syringe 2 inserted into port 5. Also shown in the figure is a connection port 42 in communication with the syringe insertion port 5 and the tube 43 of the intravenous infusion system.

  The use of multiple image acquisition units allows the syringe to be inserted at any position, thus giving the caregiver more freedom and choosing the best image from the images provided by the different units. As it becomes possible, it also reduces reflection problems and improves image quality.

  In connection with the image acquisition system 6, the enlarged detail view of FIG. 1 shows that the sensor 62 and the optical system 63 are parallel to each other and both are mounted inclined with respect to the surface of the base 4. 6 shows an embodiment of a unit 61 that is perpendicular to the optical axis OA of the optical system. The base can be considered to have a generally flat configuration extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the port 5, i.e. to the syringe barrel axis BA. In practice, however, the base may have a shape or configuration that is not flat or planar (eg, may be wholly or partially curved and have recesses and protrusions).

  In an alternative embodiment, the image acquisition system 6 applies the principles of the Scheimpflug principle to rotate non-parallel optics and improve the focus of the syringe barrel by rotating the focal plane. A sensor can be included.

  To illustrate the Scheimpflug principle, FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c show three aspects of the syringe 2 and the camera or unit of the image acquisition system 6 arranged to place the syringe barrel within its field of view. Is shown schematically. In FIG. 4 a, the sensor 62 and the optical lens 63 of the unit 61 are parallel to each other, but in FIGS. 4 b and 4 c, the surface of the optical lens 63 is inclined with respect to the surface of the sensor 62. In these drawings, the surface of the optical lens 63 and the surface of the sensor 62 are respectively represented by solid lines.

  In the arrangement of FIG. 4a, the focal plane FP of the optical system is parallel to the lens and sensor planes, and the unit 61 has a depth of field DoF between the two dashed lines shown on both sides of the focal plane in FIG. 4a. Get an in-focus image. As can be seen, even if the entire syringe barrel 22 is within the field of view of the optical system, only the short portion F of the barrel height is properly focused and the image of the remainder of the barrel is blurred. .

According to Scheimpflug principle, if the surface of the lens 63 in the camera or unit 61 'is inclined at an angle alpha ₁ relative to the plane of the sensor 62, as shown in Figure 4b, the focal plane FP is rotated, the The depth of field DoF has a wedge shape. The sensor and lens surfaces, the focal plane FP, and the surface defining the depth of field DoF all intersect at a common point. As shown in FIG. 4b, in this case the moderately focused barrel height portion F is larger than in FIG. 4b (correctly FIG. 4a).

Figure 4c lens 63 is inclined at alpha ₁ is larger than the angle alpha _2, hence the focal plane is further rotated, as a result, the entire syringe barrel enters within the depth of field range DoF optical system, a camera or units Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment of 61 ".

  An appropriate inclination angle between the optical system 63 and the sensor 62 varies depending on the distance from the syringe insertion port 5, the height of the syringe barrel, and the like, and can be determined for each specific case. In some embodiments, the tilt angle is at least 0.2 °, such as between 0.2 ° and 15 °. By tilting the optical system 63 relative to the sensor 62 as shown in FIGS. 4b and 4c, the sensor 62 can be placed flat on the base 4, which still focuses the region of interest of the syringe barrel 22. While acquiring images, the configuration of the device is greatly simplified without affecting optical parameters such as aperture and lens size (CCD or CMOS can be easily welded to the base 4 printed circuit board).

  In units such as 61, 61 ', or 62 "of the image acquisition system 6, the optical system may include a prism or the like to rotate the field of view in the direction of the syringe barrel 22.

  FIG. 5a schematically shows the field of view FoV of the unit 61 as in FIG. 4a in the first figure (left figure). In the second figure (right figure), the unit 61p can be provided with a prism 64, whereby the field of view FoV can be rotated to capture the entire region of interest of the syringe barrel 22 (and plunger 23 if desired). .

  Similarly, FIG. 5b schematically shows the field of view FoV of the unit 61 ″ as in FIG. 4c in the first figure (left figure). In the second figure (right figure), the field of view FoV is rotated and A prism 64 can be provided in unit 61 "p to capture the entire region of interest of syringe barrel 22 (and plunger 23 if desired). When a plastic material prism is used, the prism angle can be between 0 ° and 45 °. Quartz prisms with a higher refractive index than plastic can have a smaller angle.

  In a camera or unit such as a unit 61 "p provided with a prism 64 and a lens 63 inclined with respect to the sensor 62, the sensor 62 is simply welded onto the printed circuit board, greatly reducing the overall size of the device. While possible, an image acquisition system can be placed on the base 4 and close to the syringe insertion port 5 so that a good quality focused image of the desired portion of the syringe 2 can be captured at the same time. It is.

  The optical system can be manufactured as an integral unit including an optical prism and a lens. For example, it can be formed into a single part.

  In all cases, the optical system can include a variable focus lens that allows the position of the focal plane FP to be changed so that the appropriate area can be focused. The lens can also be designed to compensate for geometric aberrations. In particular, the lens has a curved surface and / or to expand the field of view, i.e. to optically amplify the region further away from the optical system, thus obtaining a uniform resolution over the entire height of the syringe barrel. Can be designed to include a mirror.

  The optical system may be provided with a polarizing filter to reduce reflection, for example, a linear or circular polarizing filter.

  In order to facilitate the acquisition of the syringe barrel or plunger image, the apparatus may be configured so that the syringe barrel 22 and / or syringe plunger 23 of the syringe 2 inserted into the insertion port so that the image acquisition system does not have to rely on ambient light. An illumination system 7 can be provided that can be disposed on the base 4 to illuminate the light. The illumination system 7 can include several light sources disposed on the base 4, such as the six light sources 7 shown in FIG.

  The light source can be a high brightness and intensity flash light source. High intensity improves the signal-to-noise ratio, especially in areas of the image where light reflects, and by using a flash light source, high intensity light can be provided with low energy consumption. The operation of the flash light source can be synchronized with the operation of the image acquisition system. The flash light source can include a light source and a flash controller that switches the light source on and off as needed.

  In some embodiments of the apparatus, the light source can be an IR LED or other infrared light source. Since infrared (IR) light is invisible to the human eye, this prevents the lighting system from bothering the caregiver even if a flash and / or high intensity light source is used. If an IR light source is used, the image acquisition system can be provided with a corresponding IR filter.

  A polarizing filter that matches the image acquisition system can also be provided to polarize the light source.

  In some embodiments, the illumination system 7 can include a light source arranged to illuminate the liquid inside the syringe barrel 2. This can enhance the contrast of the image and thus improve the resulting image. In some embodiments, a light source, such as a green or red laser light source, can be directed from the base 4 of the device towards the bottom of the side wall of the syringe barrel 22 or towards the bottom of the barrel 22. This enhances (conspicuously) the contrast between the liquid and the plastic part of the syringe 2.

  In addition to the image acquisition system 6, the device 1 may be provided with an RFID (Radio Automatic Identification) sensor suitable for detecting an RFID label associated with the syringe, as will be described later in this document.

  In some embodiments, the device 1 can be made from both reusable and disposable parts. For example, the base 4 on which the image acquisition system 6, the illumination system 7, etc. are mounted can be reusable, while the port 5 and the tube and other parts that may come into contact with the liquid can be disposable. For this purpose, the base 4 and the port 5 can be adapted, for example crimped, so that the port can be removed from the base.

The device as disclosed in the above embodiments can be used to monitor a syringe that is manually operated by a caregiver to provide medication to a patient. A method for monitoring such a syringe can include, for example, the following steps.
Providing a device 1 as disclosed above;
-Detecting the presence (presence or absence) of the syringe 2 at the insertion port 5;
-Identifying the contents of the syringe, for example by detecting the data label 3 attached to the syringe barrel 22;
-Acquiring images of the plunger 23 at various movement positions of the plunger 23 along the barrel 22; and-processing the image between an initial plunger position and a final plunger position during operation of the syringe 2 by the caregiver Determining the length of the plunger stroke and determining the amount of medicament delivered by the syringe 2 and storing the obtained information and / or transmitting it to an external computer system.

  In order to determine the length of the plunger stroke, the plunger tip portion is passed through the transparent wall of the barrel 22 or through the transparent wall when a portion of the stem portion (elongate body) 23b of the plunger is outside the barrel 22. The image 23a can be taken. In order to facilitate detection of the position of the stem portion 23b, a mark can be attached to the stem portion 23b. Similarly, the tip portion 23a can be configured to provide proper contrast within the barrel 22.

  In an embodiment of the method as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the image acquisition system can be configured to track the plunger stroke to determine the amount of medication delivered, while identifying the syringe and medication. Can be performed by an RFID system.

  In FIG. 6 a, the RFID sensor 8 is provided on the base 4 and can detect the RFID label 9 attached to the lower part of the syringe barrel 22. Alternatively, the RFID label 9 can be attached to the top of the syringe barrel 22 as shown in FIG. 6b.

  In FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, the image acquisition system 6 may include a single unit or camera that captures an image of the plunger tip portion 23 a through the transparent wall of the barrel 22. The syringe 2 can be inserted into the port 5 at an appropriate position so that the RFID label 9 does not obstruct the field of view of the camera.

  FIG. 7 shows an image acquisition to capture an image of a portion of the plunger stem portion 23b outside the barrel 22, and to capture an image of a QR label 3 or similar data label attached to the barrel 22. Fig. 4 shows an embodiment in which a single unit or camera of the system 6 can be arranged. Plunger stem portion 23b can include a mark 23c that facilitates tracking its position by the camera. In an alternative embodiment, an RFID sensor as described in connection with FIGS. 6a and 6b can be used so that QR label 3 can be replaced by an RFID label and only a camera is required to capture the image of the plunger. The device 1 can be provided.

  In other embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b, the system relies on the operator to rotate the syringe so that the ID data label 3 is first scanned by the camera (FIG. 8a) and then the operator inserts the syringe into port 5 The plunger position can be scanned by the camera. Since this operation is common in luer lock syringes, medical staff are already familiar with it.

  Syringe insertion port 5 can include a seat (not shown) through which the syringe tip can be inserted and rotated through an angle.

Embodiment of apparatus 1 with several units or cameras as shown in FIG. 3, in which the camera is used both for reading the label 3 with QR code® and for determining the stroke of the plunger The method may then include the following steps.
-Detecting the presence (presence or absence) of the syringe 2 in the port 5;
-Capturing video images simultaneously or sequentially with all cameras so that images from all angles are captured while the light flash is lit from the lighting system;
-Analyzing the video streaming of all units until the QR code of label 3 is detected;
-Storing the QR code (registered trademark);
-Analyzing the video streaming of all units to find the image of the plunger 23;
Determining (determining) the initial and final position of the plunger from this analysis; and determining (determining) the amount of medicament delivered from the length of the plunger stroke and the size of the syringe.

  Several camera observations allow both user convenience and operational robustness and prevent both obstructions and reflections.

  Once the initial position of the plunger is determined, the system can emit a signal (sound, light, lighting, etc.) to inform the caregiver that he / she can start the injection, and then the system will send a video from the camera. Proceeding with streaming analysis, the final position of the plunger can be detected.

  The initial position can be determined as the first position at which the system has identified the plunger, and the final position can be determined as the last position at which the system has identified the plunger (which typically removes the syringe from the device). Just before).

  As a safety measure to avoid incorrect final position of the plunger if the system can no longer identify the plunger, for example due to image recognition problems, the system will re-insert the syringe label when the plunger cannot be detected. An attempt to read is expected. Once the label is detected, indicating that the syringe is still present in port 5, the system continues to attempt to detect the final position of the plunger.

  In the following, further details regarding QR Code® detection and determination of the amount of medicament to be administered are described. It will be appreciated that they apply to multiple embodiments of the method. Further details regarding the specific techniques and mathematical functions shown can be found in the specialist handbook.

Detection of Plunger and Determination of Dose As described above, the amount of medication administered can be calculated from the length of the plunger stroke and the size of the syringe (syringe barrel diameter).

  The size of the syringe barrel can be obtained from a QR code or other identification label. The length of the plunger stroke can be determined by using an image acquisition unit or camera to detect its position during movement of the plunger and digitally processing the image.

  Optical flow techniques can be used to detect the plunger. The essence of the optical flow is to detect the movement of objects in the video sequence, for example to calculate the correlation of different blocks of interest in the image.

  The search for motion in the image is in this case limited to the object of interest (plunger), which can be identified using several features:

-Shape: The plunger has a specific side length ratio and width depending on the position of the plunger and the size of the syringe.
-Orientation: The plunger is placed at right angles to the side of the syringe barrel.
-Size: The plunger has a size within a predetermined range depending on the distance of the plunger from the camera to the syringe.
-Color: The plunger is typically black or white, facilitating differentiation from other objects such as fingers.
-Movement direction: Since the plunger is contained within the syringe barrel, the movement of the plunger is clearly defined in the direction of pushing the liquid out of the syringe, so the search for movement is limited in this direction.

  Therefore, the robustness (robustness) of the image processing method is enhanced because these criteria can be used to identify the plunger during movement and distinguish it from other pseudo movements.

  Given the proposed geometry of the plunger, a height-dependent pattern matching algorithm can be implemented, where pattern matching between the plunger and a template or a predetermined shape based on the above-described features is a function of image height. It changes as a function. The pattern matching between the actual plunger image and the template can be measured by cross-correlation or by normalized mutual information (NMI).

  A process can be performed on each camera, each leading to an initial position and a final position of the plunger. Each video sequence provides a confidence that depends on the correlation found between the detected object and the predetermined shape, where a higher correlation implies a higher confidence. In some cameras, there was occlusion, so the measurements were not very reliable, while other cameras gave very reliable measurements.

  The final determination or prediction of the initial and final position of the plunger, and hence the plunger stroke, and the amount of medication administered can be applied by applying an algorithm, for example by an average weighted by the confidence of the individual measurements, or It is obtained by selecting the camera with the best field of view (highest confidence).

Syringe and / or substance identification Syringe and / or identification of a substance or medicament contained in a syringe can be applied in several ways, for example to a syringe barrel, related information about the substance and / or the syringe itself Can be performed by reading a printed label (QR code (registered trademark), barcode, etc.) or an RFID encoded label. In other embodiments, the identification can be done by analyzing the material (eg, using a spectrophotometer) or simply by providing pre-programmed data to the system.

  In some embodiments, the relevant information for identifying the syringe / substance is provided as a QR code on the label. The QR standard is described in ISO / IEC 18004. In such cases, the steps involved in identifying the syringe and / or substance may be as described below.

-Acquiring: Acquiring a video stream from each camera of the image acquisition system.
-Pre-detection: By using local statistics, in particular local histograms and variances, the region of interest in which the QR code (R) is located is detected from the video stream and a black and white pattern or QR code (R) ) Can be identified. This method has the advantage of scale invariant transformation and accelerates the operation by concentrating only on the region of interest.
-Geometric transformation: Given the cylindrical shape of a syringe barrel with a QR code (registered trademark) label and a short-range camera, the acquired image will exhibit geometric distortion and, in some cases, circular It is advantageous to correct for this distortion of the QR code. In such a case, coordinate changes can be performed via B-spline interpolation using a fixed QR pattern as the corresponding landmark.

  Alternatively, the QR code can be printed so that distortion induced by image capture is minimized.

Once the image is geometrically corrected through coordinate changes, edge detection can be accelerated using a Hough Transform.
-Code extraction: The process for extracting a QR code from an image is determined by whether the QR code is within the field of view of a single camera (for systems with a single camera and how many The QR code (registered trademark) is distributed over different cameras, and only a part of the QR code (registered trademark) is visible in each camera.

  If the entire QR fits within the field of view of a single camera, the detection procedure is described in section 13 of the ISO / IEC 18004 standard. If the QR is spread across different screens, the alignment mark can be used as a reference to extract the portion of the code that can be seen by each camera.

  Reference marks can be introduced into the label to assist in the detection guidance of the QR label. In particular, a red dashed line can be drawn around the QR label to aid in guidance detection.

Detection of Syringe Presence (Presence / Absence) Before the syringe / substance identification is made and / or before the plunger detection is performed, the operation of the device includes detecting the presence (presence / absence) of the syringe. be able to.

  This can be done in several different ways. In particular, by pattern matching, for example by boundary filter detection, by blob analysis of either shape or orientation, by such a quantity threshold, by line detection (via Hough transform), etc. The same image acquisition system can be used to detect the presence or absence of a syringe. Alternatively, sensors such as IR detectors or photocells can be added to the hardware design to detect the presence or absence of a syringe.

  In all cases, the images can be processed by the control unit of the device or by a unit external to the device itself, eg belonging to a hospital computer system. The control unit stores and / or transmits information on infusions performed to the patient through any known protocol (such as Bluetooth®), and this information is automatically stored in the patient's history. You can make it.

  Further, during operation, the system can provide information to the caregiver, for example, via a screen and / or by an acoustic system. The system may emit a signal, for example when a QR code is detected and / or when the initial / final position of the plunger is detected and / or when an image cannot be obtained. it can. The system allows the caregiver to perform the infusion operation even if the QR code and / or plunger position cannot be read.

  While a limited number of specific embodiments and examples of the invention have been disclosed herein, other alternative embodiments and / or uses of the invention and obvious variations and equivalents thereof are possible. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the invention includes in its scope possible combinations of the specific embodiments described. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited by any particular embodiment, but should be determined only by a fair interpretation of the claims that follow.

1 Device for monitoring a syringe 2 Manually operated syringe 4 Base (base)
5 Syringe insertion port 6 Image acquisition system 7 Light source (illumination system)
21 Dispensing tip 22 of syringe Syringe barrel 23 Syringe plunger 62 Solid sensor 63 Optical system (or optical lens)
64 Prism BA Barrel axis OA Optical axis of image acquisition system

Claims (32)

An apparatus for monitoring a manually operated syringe, wherein the syringe comprises a dispensing tip, a syringe barrel having a syringe barrel axis, and a syringe plunger, wherein the apparatus comprises:
A base configured to be connected to a patient medication administration point and including a syringe insertion port configured to receive a dispensing tip of the syringe, the base comprising the syringe A base configured such that the syringe barrel does not directly contact the base when inserted into the insertion port, and at least a portion of the syringe barrel projects from the base in the direction of the barrel axis;
An image acquisition system disposed on the base and configured to capture an image of at least a portion of the syringe plunger when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port;
A device comprising:   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image acquisition system is configured to also capture an image of at least a portion of the syringe barrel when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port.   The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the optical axis of the image acquisition system intersects the syringe barrel axis at a point in the barrel when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one third of the syringe barrel protrudes from the base in the direction of the barrel axis when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port. .   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least half of the syringe barrel protrudes from the base in the direction of the barrel axis when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein substantially all of the syringe barrel projects from the base in the direction of the barrel axis when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition system includes a solid state sensor and an optical system configured to focus an image of the syringe barrel on the sensor.   The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a surface of the optical system is inclined with respect to a surface of the sensor.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tilt angle is at least 0.2 °.   The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical system includes an optical prism.   The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical system includes a polarizing filter.   The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical system is an integral unit.   The image acquisition system includes at least two sensors and at least two corresponding optical systems each associated with one sensor, which are disposed on the base and distributed around the insertion port. The device according to any one of claims 7 to 12, which is arranged.   14. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an illumination system configured to illuminate the syringe barrel when a syringe is inserted into the insertion port.   The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the illumination system includes a light source disposed on the base.   The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the illumination system includes at least two light sources disposed on the base and distributed around the insertion port.   The apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the light source is an IR light source, and the optical system includes an IR filter.   The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the light source is a flash light source.   The apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the illumination system is configured to illuminate a liquid inside the syringe barrel when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port. .   20. The image acquisition system is configured to capture an image of a data label attached to the syringe barrel when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port. The device described in 1.   21. The image acquisition system according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the image acquisition system is configured to capture images of the syringe plunger at various positions when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port. Equipment.   The image acquisition system captures an image of a tip portion of the syringe plunger disposed inside the syringe barrel when a syringe having a barrel having a transparent wall is inserted into the insertion port. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is configured.   The image acquisition system is configured to capture an image of a stem portion of the syringe plunger disposed outside the syringe barrel when the syringe is inserted into the insertion port. Or the apparatus of 22.   24. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 23, further comprising an RFID sensor.   25. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the insertion port includes a seat configured to receive the syringe tip and rotate it through a predetermined angle.   26. A control unit configured to control operation of the image acquisition system and to store and / or transmit data generated by the image acquisition system. The device according to item.   27. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the device is portable. A method for monitoring a manually operated syringe,
Providing a base configured to be connected to a patient's medication administration point and including a syringe insertion port and an image acquisition system;
Detecting insertion of a syringe into the insertion port;
Identifying the contents of the syringe;
Acquiring a continuous image of the syringe plunger;
Processing the image to determine at least an initial plunger position and a final plunger position;
A method comprising. Said step of identifying the contents of the syringe comprises obtaining at least one image of a data label attached to the syringe barrel;
30. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of processing an image includes determining a syringe identification parameter from the image of the data label.   30. A method according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the step of processing an image further comprises determining a length of a plunger stroke between the initial plunger position and the final plunger position.   31. The method of claim 30, comprising acquiring a continuous image of the tip portion of the syringe plunger inside the syringe barrel.   32. A method according to claim 30 or 31, comprising obtaining a continuous image of the stem portion of the syringe plunger outside the syringe barrel.