JP6839853B2 - Chemical injection circuit, chemical injection system equipped with the chemical injection circuit, and medical imaging system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a chemical solution injection circuit used for injecting a chemical solution such as a contrast medium when capturing a medical image, a chemical solution injection system provided with the chemical solution injection circuit, and the like.

Medical diagnostic imaging devices include CT devices, MRI devices, angio devices, PET devices, MRA devices, ultrasonic diagnostic imaging devices, and the like. When a medical image is taken using these devices, a chemical solution such as a contrast medium or a physiological saline solution is often injected into the subject in order to enhance the contrast effect. The drug solution to be injected is often filled in a syringe, and the drug solution filled in the syringe is automatically injected according to preset injection conditions using a drug solution injection device. In the injection of a drug solution using the drug solution injection device, an injection circuit is composed of a catheter, an indwelling needle, various tubes, and the like in order to connect the syringe mounted on the drug solution injection device and the subject.

In the injection of a drug solution using a drug solution injection device, for example, the blood pressure of the subject is monitored, the injection circuit is confirmed to be connected normally, and the leakage of the drug solution in the subject's body is monitored and set. Various sensors are often used to monitor whether a drug solution is being injected according to the injection conditions.

For example, in angiography using an angio device, a catheter is inserted into a subject while confirming the affected area under fluoroscopy, and treatment is performed. In the treatment while confirming the affected area using the angio device, for example, in the treatment of dissolving the thrombus formed in the coronary artery, the catheter is advanced to the occluded site of the coronary artery, and the thrombolytic agent is ejected from the tip thereof. Even under fluoroscopy, blood vessels cannot be recognized as an image without a contrast medium, so a contrast medium is used to confirm the occlusion site or guide the catheter to the coronary artery. At the same time, for safety confirmation, a catheter is inserted while monitoring the blood pressure of the subject.

As an injection circuit capable of monitoring the blood pressure of a subject, an injection circuit as disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Patent No. 4338446) is known. The injection circuit disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a drug solution injection tube whose end is connected to a syringe filled with a contrast agent, and a drug solution so as to restrict the movement of the drug solution in the drug solution injection tube from the end side to the tip side. It has a one-way valve provided on the injection tube and a blood pressure detection tube having a pressure transducer connected to the end and the tip connected to the tip side of the one-valve of the drug solution injection tube.

According to the injection circuit configured in this way, the pressure of blood flowing through the blood vessel is transmitted to the pressure transducer when the contrast medium is not injected, and the blood pressure is directly detected by this pressure transducer. However, the pressure transducer used in this type of injection circuit generally has a lower withstand voltage value than the injection pressure of the contrast medium. Therefore, when the contrast medium is injected, if the high pressure generated by the contrast medium is transmitted to the pressure transducer through the blood pressure detection tube, the pressure transducer may be destroyed. Therefore, in the injection circuit disclosed in Patent Document 1, a switching valve that shuts off the blood pressure detection tube when the drug solution is injected at a pressure higher than a predetermined pressure is provided in the blood pressure detection tube, and the pressure generated by the drug solution injection is applied to the pressure transducer. I try not to be transmitted.

Further, in the imaging of a tomographic image using a CT device or the like, a contrast medium is injected through an indwelling needle punctured in a blood vessel of a subject. At this time, it may be confirmed whether or not the tip of the indwelling needle is located inside the blood vessel, or whether or not the injected drug solution has leaked out of the blood vessel. Confirmation of the tip position of the indwelling needle is also called "route confirmation", and can be performed by confirming the presence or absence of blood inflow into the injection circuit when the piston of the syringe is retracted. Further, for extravasation of the drug solution, for example, as described in Patent Document 2 (International Publication No. 2006/030764), a leak detection unit having a built-in light emitting element and a light receiving element is placed in the vicinity of the tip position of the indwelling needle of the subject. The light emitted from the light emitting element toward the subject's body in close contact with the body surface can be detected by the light receiving element, and can be detected by the change in the intensity thereof.

Furthermore, the infusion pressure, infusion volume and infusion rate during the infusion operation are monitored regardless of the type of drug infusion system. The injection pressure can be obtained by detecting the force acting on the piston drive mechanism that operates the piston of the syringe by a force sensor such as a load cell, or by measuring the motor current flowing through the motor that drives the piston drive mechanism. .. The injection amount can be obtained from the movement amount of the piston drive mechanism, and for that purpose, a linear encoder, a rotary encoder that counts the rotation amount of the motor, or the like is used. The injection speed can be calculated from the amount of movement of the piston drive mechanism per unit time.

Japanese Patent No. 4338446 International Publication No. 2006/030764

As described above, when injecting a chemical solution using a chemical solution injection device, a dedicated sensor is used or a specific operation is executed according to a matter to be detected or monitored. Therefore, the more items to be detected or monitored, the more complicated the system configuration is, and various processes for detection or monitoring are required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a chemical solution injection circuit capable of detecting various matters related to chemical solution injection with a simpler configuration, a chemical solution injection system provided with the chemical solution injection circuit, and the like.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is a chemical solution injection circuit used when injecting a chemical solution filled in a container.
A tube unit having at least one tube, one tip and at least one end,
At least one thermal flow rate sensor arranged between the tip and the end of the tube unit, provided with a conduit through which the drug solution flows in the tube, and responds to the movement of the drug solution in the conduit. A thermal flow sensor configured to output an electrical signal as a detection result,
A chemical injection circuit having the above is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, it is a chemical solution injection system that injects a chemical solution filled in a container.
An injection head comprising at least one drive mechanism, to which at least one container is detachably mounted and configured to inject a drug solution from the container.
A chemical injection circuit connected to the container,
An injection control unit that controls the operation of the drive mechanism,
Have,
The chemical injection circuit is
A tube unit having at least one tube, one tip and at least one end,
At least one thermal flow rate sensor arranged between the tip and the end of the tube unit, provided with a conduit through which the drug solution flows in the tube, and responds to the movement of the drug solution in the conduit. A thermal flow sensor configured to output an electrical signal to the injection control unit as a detection result,
A drug solution injection system having the above is provided.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned drug solution injection system of the present invention and
A medical image imaging device that acquires a medical image from a subject who has been injected with the drug solution by the drug solution injection system.
A medical imaging system is provided.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, an injection head having at least one container detachably mounted and having at least one drive mechanism configured to inject a drug solution from the container is connected to the container. A tube unit having a chemical solution injection circuit and an injection control unit for controlling the operation of the drive mechanism, wherein the chemical solution injection circuit has at least one tube and has one tip and at least one end. A method of operating a chemical injection system, comprising at least one thermal flow sensor, which is arranged between the tip and the end of the tube unit and includes a conduit through which the chemical flows through the tube.
A step in which the thermal flow rate sensor outputs an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the chemical solution in the conduit as a detection result to the injection control unit.
A step in which the injection control unit executes a predetermined function using the detection result output from the thermal flow rate sensor.
A method of operating a drug solution injection system having the above is provided.

(Definition of terms used in the present invention)
"Injection circuit" means a path for circulating a drug solution, which is connected to a container for injecting the drug solution into a subject's blood vessel, and is attached to at least one tube or tube through which the drug solution flows. Includes parts. Further, the "injection circuit" may include a catheter inserted into the subject's blood vessel or an indwelling needle punctured into the subject's blood vessel. When a plurality of drug solutions can be injected, the injection circuit may have a form in which the terminal side opposite to the distal end side connected to the catheter or the indwelling needle is branched into a plurality of parts by a combination of a plurality of tubes. .. The injection circuit can be divided into an "external circuit part", which is entirely located inside the subject's body, and an "internal circuit part", which is at least partially located inside the body, depending on the arrangement at the time of use. According to this classification, the catheter or the indwelling needle belongs to the internal circuit part, and the other members belong to the extracorporeal circuit part. Therefore, it can be said that the "injection circuit" includes at least the extracorporeal circuit portion of the internal circuit portion and the extracorporeal circuit portion.

The "tip" of the injection circuit, tube unit and tube means the end closest to the subject when the injection circuit is connected to the subject to inject the drug solution. The "end" of an injection circuit, tube unit and tube means the end opposite the "tip" in their longitudinal direction. Depending on the form of the injection circuit, it may have only one "end" or it may have multiple "ends".

According to the present invention, in a system for injecting a chemical solution in a container via an injection circuit, the injection circuit includes a thermal flow rate sensor to obtain pressure, determine the occurrence of an abnormality, and perform a thermal flow rate sensor. Various functions can be given to the system by using the detection result from.

It is a schematic block diagram of the medical image imaging system according to one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows one form of the injection circuit shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of one form of the flow rate sensor provided in the injection circuit shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the chemical liquid injection apparatus by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the injection head shown in FIG. 4 together with the syringe attached to it. It is a figure which shows an example of the injection condition setting screen which is displayed when the injection condition is set in the chemical solution injection apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed when the dilution ratio is changed when the injection mode is the dilution injection mode in the injection condition setting screen shown in FIG. 6. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the medical image imaging system by another embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the medical image imaging system shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the injection head shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the procedure of attaching a syringe to the injection head shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the procedure of attaching a syringe to the injection head shown in FIG. 8, and shows the next step of the procedure shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship between the RFID tag and the RFID module in a state where the syringe is normally held by the injection head shown in FIG. It is a figure of the injection circuit by another form of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of changing the arrangement of the flow rate sensor in the injection circuit shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram of an example of a mixing device that can be provided in the injection circuit of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the mixing device shown in FIG. 16A. It is sectional drawing of the mixing device shown in FIG. 16A. It is a figure of the injection circuit by still another form of this invention. It is a figure which shows one modification example of the injection circuit shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the support arm unit for an injection head which can be used in this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a medical image imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention, which includes a chemical injection device 100, an injection circuit 200, and a medical image imaging device 500, is shown. The chemical injection device 100 and the injection circuit 200 constitute a chemical injection system. Further, the chemical injection device 100 and the medical image imaging device 500 can be connected to each other so that data can be transmitted and received between them. The connection between the two can be a wired connection or a wireless connection.

The medical image imaging device 500 includes an imaging operation unit 520 that executes an imaging operation and an imaging control unit 510 that controls the operation of the imaging operation unit 520, and is a subject in which the drug solution is injected by the drug solution injection device 100. Medical images can be obtained, including tomographic and / or three-dimensional images of. The imaging operation unit 520 usually includes a bed for a subject, an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit that irradiates a predetermined space on the bed with electromagnetic waves, and the like. The imaging control unit 510 controls the operation of the entire medical image imaging device, such as determining imaging conditions and controlling the operation of the imaging operation unit 520 according to the determined imaging conditions. The image pickup control unit 510 can be configured to include a so-called microcomputer, and can have an interface with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and other devices. A computer program for controlling the medical image imaging device 500 is mounted on the ROM. The CPU controls the operation of each part of the medical image imaging apparatus 500 by executing various functions corresponding to this computer program.

The medical image imaging device 500 further includes a display unit 504 such as a liquid crystal display capable of displaying imaging conditions and acquired medical images, and an input unit 503 such as a keyboard and / or mouse for inputting imaging conditions and the like. Can be done. At least a part of the data used to determine the imaging conditions is input from the input unit 503 and transmitted to the imaging control unit 510. The data displayed on the display unit 504 is transmitted from the imaging control unit 510. Further, a touch panel in which a touch screen is arranged as an input unit on the display of the display unit can also be used as the input unit 503 and the display unit 504. A part of the input unit 503, the display unit 504, and the imaging control unit 510 can be incorporated in one housing as a console for a medical image imaging device.

The drug solution injection device 100 is a device used for injecting a drug solution filled in a syringe, which is a container, into a blood vessel of a subject via an injection circuit, and is a device used to inject a plurality of piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b and an input unit. It has 103, a display unit 104, and an injection control unit 101. The piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b are mechanisms for operating the piston of the syringe so as to inject the drug solution from the syringe. In this embodiment, each of the two syringes can be injected separately or simultaneously. It has two piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b that operate the pistons independently. However, at least one of the piston drive mechanism 130a for injecting one chemical solution and the piston drive mechanism 130b for injecting the other chemical solution may be plural.

The injection control unit 101 determines the injection conditions such as the injection amount and the injection rate of the drug solution using at least a part of the data input from the input unit 103, and the drug solution is injected from the syringe according to the determined injection conditions. This chemical solution controls the operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b, controls the display of the display unit 104, and executes a predetermined process according to the output from the flow sensor 210, which will be described in detail later. Controls the operation of the entire injection device. The injection control unit 101 can be configured to include a so-called microcomputer, and can have an interface with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and other devices. A computer program for controlling the chemical injection device 100 is mounted on the ROM. The CPU can control the operation of each part of the chemical solution injection device 100 by executing various functions corresponding to this computer program.

The input unit 103 is a unit used to input data or the like used by the injection control unit 101 to determine the injection conditions of the drug solution. The input unit 103 may be, for example, a known input device such as a keyboard and / or mouse. The data input from the input unit 103 is transmitted to the injection control unit 101, and the data displayed on the display unit 104 is transmitted from the injection control unit 101. The display unit 104 is controlled by the injection control unit 101 to display data and the like necessary for determining the injection conditions of the drug solution, display the injection protocol, display the injection operation, display various warnings, and the like.

The infusion protocol indicates what kind of drug solution is infused, in what amount, and at what speed. The injection rate may be constant or may change over time. In addition, when injecting a plurality of types of drug solutions, for example, a contrast medium and a physiological saline solution, information such as the order in which the drug solutions are injected is also included in the injection protocol. As the injection protocol, any known injection protocol can be used. Also, a known procedure can be used for the procedure for creating the injection protocol. The injection protocol may also include a maximum allowable injection pressure (pressure limit). When the pressure limit is set, the injection pressure is monitored during the injection operation, and the operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b is controlled so that the injection pressure does not exceed the set pressure limit.

The display unit 104 may be a known display device such as a liquid crystal display device. Further, a touch panel in which a touch screen is arranged as an input unit on the display of the display unit can also be used as the input unit 103 and the display unit 104. A part of the input unit 103, the display unit 104, and the injection control unit 101 can be incorporated in one housing as a console for the chemical injection device.

The injection circuit 200 constitutes a flow path of liquid connecting the syringe and the subject, and includes a tube unit having one tip and at least one end, including at least one tube, and at least one connector and a tube unit. It can have a flow sensor 210. The flow rate sensor 210 is arranged between the tip and the end of the tube unit. In addition, the tube unit may further have at least one connector for connection with a container or the like. A form of the injection circuit 200 that can be suitably used in the present invention is shown in FIG.

The injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. 2 has a first tube 201, a plurality of second tubes 202, 203, and a T-shaped connector 204 connecting them, and takes the form of a branch tube having a branched end side as a whole. ing. The first tube 201 has a connector 207 at its tip for connecting to an internal circuit portion such as a catheter. The second tubes 202 and 203 have connectors 205 and 206 at their ends for connection with the syringe, respectively. The injection circuit 200 may further include an internal circuit portion such as a catheter or an indwelling needle connected by a connector 207.

At least one of the connectors 205 and 206 connected to the second tubes 202 and 203, respectively, may include a one-sided valve. On the other hand, the valve has a valve body that operates by the back pressure of the liquid to close the flow path, and the injection circuit 200 is connected from the tip side to the end side, that is, from the side to which the catheter or the like is connected to the side to which the syringe is connected. It works to prevent the backflow of liquid to. On the other hand, at least one of the valves may have a release function capable of arbitrarily holding the valve body in the open position of the flow path by a predetermined operation. By using a one-way valve with a release function, it is usually possible to prevent blood from flowing back to the syringe side, but the piston of the syringe is used to check whether the tip of the catheter or the like is normally located in the blood vessel of the subject. It is possible to perform a so-called route check or the like, in which the presence or absence of blood inflow into the injection circuit 200 is confirmed.

The injection circuit 200 further includes a flow rate sensor 210. The flow rate sensor 210, together with the first tube 201 and the second tubes 202, 203, has a conduit that forms a part of the liquid flow path. The flow rate sensor 210 is electrically connected to the injection control unit 101 (see FIG. 1), and outputs an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the liquid (chemical solution) in the conduit as a detection result to the injection control unit 101. (Send. The flow rate sensor 210 can perform a detection operation at regular time intervals, and transmit the detection result to the injection control unit 101 each time the detection is performed. The injection control unit 101 can obtain various items related to the drug solution and the drug solution injection device 100 by using the transmitted detection result.

The electrical connection between the injection control unit and the flow rate sensor 210 may be a wired connection or a wireless connection. Further, the electric power for driving the flow rate sensor 210 can be supplied from an external power supply unit. Alternatively, the flow rate sensor 210 may be configured as a unit having a built-in battery so that the flow rate sensor 210 is driven by the electric power driven from the battery.

The position of the flow rate sensor 210 in the injection circuit 200 may be any position between the tip and the end of the injection circuit 200. However, since the injection circuit 200 is often composed of a flexible tube occupying a large proportion, if the flow sensor 210 is attached at a position where the tube is not sufficiently fixed, the tube shakes. An unintended movement caused by such factors may cause the chemical solution to move in the flow path of the flow sensor 210, making it impossible to obtain an accurate detection result. In order to reduce this effect as much as possible, it is preferable to arrange the flow rate sensor 210 at a position where unintended movement of the tube is unlikely to occur, for example, a position near the tip side of the injection circuit 200, that is, a position close to a portion fixed to the subject. It is also preferable to arrange the flow rate sensor 210 at a position close to the detection target. In the form shown in FIG. 2, the flow rate sensor 210 is connected between the tip of the first tube 201 and the connector 207. Further, although not shown in FIG. 2, the flow rate sensor 210 may be arranged at a portion of the extracorporeal circuit portion exposed from the subject, for example, the end portion of the indwelling needle or the end portion of the catheter.

Any flow rate sensor can be used as the flow rate sensor 210. Among various flow rate sensors, a thermal type flow rate sensor 210 having a structure as shown in FIG. 3 can be preferably used in the present invention.

The flow rate sensor 210 shown in FIG. 3 has a pipe 211 and a semiconductor module 212 joined to the outer surface of the pipe 211. Both ends of the pipe 211 are open so that the liquid can flow through the pipe 211, and the pipe 211 forms a part of the liquid flow path together with the tube of the injection circuit. The semiconductor module 212 is provided with a heater 213 at a position in contact with the outer surface of the pipe 211, and two temperature sensors 214 arranged symmetrically with respect to the heater 213 on both sides of the heater 213 in the longitudinal direction of the pipe 211. Has been done. The temperature sensor 214 constitutes a part of the bridge circuit, and can be configured as, for example, a thermopile.

The semiconductor module 212 may include a processing circuit (not shown). The processing circuit drives the heater 213, also processes the signals from the temperature sensors 214, compares the outputs from the two temperature sensors 214, and measures the temperature difference between these temperature sensors 214. Further, the semiconductor module 212 may have a plurality of electrode pads (not shown) in order to supply electric power for driving the heater 213 from the outside and to output the measurement result to the outside. The semiconductor module 212 may have at least a joint with the pipe 211 sealed with a sealant (not shown).

According to the flow rate sensor 210 configured as described above, when the liquid does not move in the pipe 211, the temperature distribution of the liquid in the pipe 211 is symmetrical with respect to the heater 213. However, when the liquid moves along the longitudinal direction of the pipe 211, a temperature difference corresponding to the mass flow rate of the moved liquid occurs between the two temperature sensors 214. Since the temperature difference measured by the temperature sensor 214 changes the equilibrium of the bridge circuit, an electric signal corresponding to the flow rate can be obtained.

From a structural point of view, in the flow rate sensor 210 having the configuration shown in FIG. 3, since the members constituting the electric circuit such as electrodes are not exposed on the inner surface of the pipe 211 with which the liquid comes into contact, the subject is exposed to the flow sensor 210. There is no electrical effect. In order to further suppress the electrical influence on the subject, the distance between the inner surface of the member pipe 211 constituting the electric circuit (for example, the pipe at the portion where the member constituting the electric circuit is arranged). The thickness of the pipe wall of 211) is preferably 0.4 mm or more. Further, the entire configuration shown in FIG. 3 may be packaged with a resin or the like except for both ends of the pipe 211 which is the inlet and the outlet of the liquid, thereby making the liquid drip-proof.

Here, the contrast medium, which is a chemical solution injected by the chemical solution injection device of the present embodiment, is generally a highly viscous liquid, requires a high pressure for injection at a predetermined injection rate, and the injection rate itself. Is also relatively slow. On the other hand, the flow rate sensor 210 of the type used in this embodiment has no structure inside the pipe 211, which is a conduit through which the fluid flows, and detects even a slight movement of liquid. can do. Therefore, it can be said that this type of flow sensor 210 is suitable for detecting the movement of the liquid injected at high pressure and low speed, such as the contrast agent injection circuit 200.

This type of flow sensor 210 can be obtained, for example, from Sensirion Co., Ltd.

As described above, by incorporating the flow rate sensor 210 into the injection circuit 200, it is possible to detect various items that can be used when injecting the drug solution into the subject using the drug solution injection device 100. Some application examples thereof will be described below.

(Application in angiography)
With reference to FIG. 4, an external perspective view of a form of a drug solution injection device used in angiography is shown. The drug solution injection device 100 has a configuration suitable for injecting a drug solution into a subject through a catheter. When configured as a medical image imaging system, the drug solution injection device 100 is linked with the angio device which is the medical image imaging device 500 shown in FIG.

A drug solution injection device 100 suitable for injecting a drug solution for angiography has an injection head 110, a console 112, and a main unit 114. The injection head 110 and the console 112 are electrically connected via the main unit 114. In the illustrated form, the injection head 110 is rotatably supported on the upper part of the stand 116, but may be supported by a slewing arm fixed to the ceiling. The console can include the input unit 103 and the display unit 104 described above. In the illustrated form, the console 112 includes a touch panel, which corresponds to the input unit 103 and the display unit 104 described above. The main unit 114 can include a power supply device (not shown), from which the power supply device can supply power to the injection head 110 and the console 112. The injection control unit 101 shown in FIG. 1 may be arranged in the main unit 114 or in the console 112.

As shown in FIG. 5, the injection head 110 is configured so that two syringes 320 can be detachably attached (in FIG. 5, only one syringe 320 is shown for simplification).

In the illustrated form, the syringe 320 is attached to the injection head 110 while being inserted into the protective cover 370, but the syringe 320 may be configured to be directly attached to the injection head 110. The syringe 320 is generally called a rodless syringe, and includes a cylinder 321 having a flange 321a formed at the end and a nozzle portion 321b formed at the tip, and a piston 322 inserted into the cylinder 321 so as to be movable back and forth. have.

When the piston 322 moves toward the tip of the cylinder 321, the filled chemical solution is pushed out from the syringe 320 through the nozzle portion 321b. For example, the injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. 2 can be connected to the tip of each syringe 320. FIG. 2 shows an extracorporeal circuit portion of the injection circuit 200, but in angiography, an internal circuit portion such as a catheter is connected via a connector 207 at the tip of the first tube 201.

As the chemical solution to be filled in the syringe 320, for example, the contrast medium is filled in the syringe 320 connected to one second tube 202, and the syringe 320 connected to the other second tube 203 is filled. Can be a saline solution. Alternatively, a syringe 320 filled with contrast media having different concentrations may be connected to the second tubes 202 and 203, respectively.

Contrast media used for imaging medical images have a relatively high viscosity, and in particular, contrast media used for angiography have a higher viscosity than other types of contrast media. Moreover, the catheter is generally extremely thin with an inner diameter of less than 1 mm. Therefore, when a contrast medium is filled in the syringe 320 as a chemical solution and the piston 322 is advanced to inject the contrast medium, a very high internal pressure is generated in the cylinder 321. This high internal pressure may cause the cylinder 321 to expand, causing various problems in the injection of the contrast medium.

The protective cover 370 suppresses expansion due to an increase in the internal pressure of the cylinder 321 during injection of a chemical solution, and is a cylinder sized so that when the cylinder 321 is inserted, there is almost no gap between the cylinder 321 and its outer peripheral surface. It is a shaped member. In order for the protective cover 370 to play this role, the protective cover 370 is preferably formed with a wall thickness having mechanical strength sufficient to withstand the internal pressure acting on the cylinder 321 during the injection of the chemical solution.

An opening through which the nozzle portion 321b of the syringe 320 passes is formed at the tip of the protective cover 370, and the syringe 320 is held in a state where the nozzle portion 321b protrudes from this opening. At the end of the protective cover 370, a cover flange 371 having a ring-shaped recess formed on the end surface for receiving the flange 321a of the cylinder 321 is formed.

The injection head 110 is equipped with two piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b (see FIG. 1) that are driven independently of each other to advance and retract the pistons 322 of the two mounted syringes 320. It is arranged corresponding to the position to be. Each of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b includes a presser 131 that holds a convex portion formed at the end of the piston 322, a drive source such as a motor that moves the presser 131 forward and backward, and a power transmission mechanism that connects them. Has.

The syringe 320 attached to the injection head 110 can inject the drug solution filled in the syringe 320 into the subject separately or at the same time by advancing the piston 322 by the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b. .. For the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b, a known mechanism generally used for this type of injection device can be adopted.

The tip of the injection head 110 is provided with a syringe receiver 120 and a clamper 140 that form a syringe mounting portion on which a syringe 320 equipped with a protective cover 370 is mounted. The syringe receiver 120 is located on the distal end side of the clamper 140, and has two recesses 121 so as to individually receive the outer peripheral surfaces of the protective cover 370. The clamper 140 is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the syringe receiver 120, and is configured to individually hold the cover flange 271 of each protective cover 270. Each syringe 320 is located in the recess 121 with the nozzle portion 321b facing the tip side, and is fixed to the injection head 110 by closing the clamper 140. The protective cover 370 is not an indispensable configuration, and the syringe 320 may be directly attached to the injection head 110.

The injection head 110 can have an exterior cover 125 that covers the entire mechanism except for the portion having the syringe receiver 120 and the clamper 140. In this case, the exterior cover 125 may have a sign 125a at a position corresponding to each presser 131 to distinguish the corresponding presser 131. The sign 125a may be arbitrary such as a letter or a symbol, and in this embodiment, the letters "A" and "B" are used. This label can also be used to distinguish the syringe 320 (chemical solution) on the injection condition setting screen 400 (see FIG. 5) described later. In the following description, the chemical solutions filled in the syringe 320 attached to the syringe receiver 120, respectively, corresponding to the label 125a may be referred to as “chemical solution A” and “chemical solution B”.

With reference to FIG. 4 again, the chemical injection device 100 may further include a hand switch 118 and / or a foot switch 119 as an option. The hand switch 118 has an operation button, which can be used to control the start and stop of the injection operation so that the injection head 110 performs the injection operation of the drug solution only while the operation button is pressed. it can. The foot switch 119 is used to control the start and stop of the injection operation so that the injection head 110 performs the injection operation of the chemical solution only while the foot switch 119 is stepped on, for example, when performing a test injection. Can be done.

"Test injection" is performed as needed prior to imaging for the acquisition of medical images, such as to understand individual differences in contrast effect and / or to confirm the tip position of the injection circuit. It is an injection of a chemical solution. The injection of the drug solution for the acquisition of medical images is sometimes referred to as the "main injection" to distinguish it from this test injection. In the test injection, a smaller amount of the drug solution is usually injected than the main injection. In addition, the injection rate of the drug solution in the test injection is usually set in advance or set to be the same as the injection rate of the drug solution in the main injection. This test injection can also be performed by operating the hand switch 118. In this case, if the hand switch 118 is operated when the setting of the drug solution injection protocol is completed and the injection preparation is ready (standby state), the main injection is executed, but the hand switch 118 is operated at the stage before that. If so, the test injection can be performed.

Next, an example of the procedure for injecting the drug solution using the above-mentioned medical image imaging system will be described.

First, the operator turns on the power of the chemical injection device 100. Then, the syringe assembly 300 filled with the drug solution to be injected into the subject is attached to the injection head 110. Alternatively, after attaching an empty syringe assembly 300 not filled with the chemical solution to the injection head 110, a chemical solution container (not shown) is connected to the nozzle portion 221b via an appropriate tube, and in that state, the piston drive mechanism is used. By retracting the piston 322 and filling the syringe assembly 300 with the chemical solution, the syringe assembly 300 filled with the chemical solution may be attached to the injection head 110. Regarding the syringe 320 that constitutes a part of the syringe assembly 300, in the present specification, the syringe 320 that is filled with the chemical solution by the manufacturer as in the former is called a prefilled type, and is filled with the chemical solution in the medical field as in the latter case. The one is also called a post-filling type.

The syringe assembly 300 can be attached to the injection head 110, for example, by the following procedure. First, with the clamper 140 in the open position, the operator places the syringe assembly 300 on the recess 121 of the syringe receiver 120. At this time, the convex portion of the piston 322 at the rear end position is held by the presser 131. Once the syringe assembly 300 is placed on the recess 121, the operator closes the clamper 140, which holds the syringe assembly 300 in the injection head 110.

The injection head 110 preferably has a locking mechanism (not shown) that locks the clamper 140 so that it can be opened at the closed position. The locking mechanism may be any mechanism as long as it is possible to lock and release the clamper 140 at the closed position. By having the lock mechanism, it is possible to prevent the syringe assembly 300 attached to the injection head 110 from being disengaged from the injection head 110.

Here, the injection head 110 preferably includes at least one detector that detects that the syringe assembly 300 is attached to the injection head 110. The attachment of the syringe assembly 300 to the injection head 110 detects, for example, that the first detector for detecting that the syringe assembly 300 is placed on the syringe receiving recess 121 and the clamper 140 are in the closed position. It can be detected by a second detector. As the first detector, for example, a detector that is arranged in the syringe receiving recess 121 and can detect the syringe assembly 300 in the syringe receiving recess 121 can be used. As the second detector, for example, a detector built in the injection head 110 and capable of detecting the tip portion of the clamper 140 when the clamper 140 is in the closed position can be used.

All of these detectors can detect an object to be detected, such as a syringe assembly 300 or a clamper 140, when the distance between the detector and the detector is less than a predetermined distance (including contact). Specifically, an optical sensor that optically detects the presence or absence of an object in the detection region, a proximity sensor that detects the presence or absence and position of an object using magnetism as a detection medium, and contact with an object to be detected. / A mechanical switch that switches on / off by non-contact can be used. As the mechanical switch, any switch including, for example, a tact switch and a limit switch can be used as long as it is switched on / off by contact / non-contact of the object to be detected. The injection head 110 does not need to include both a first detector and a second detector in order to detect that the syringe assembly 300 is attached to the injection head 110, and only one of them is required. May be.

By making it possible to detect that the syringe assembly 300 has been mounted on the injection head 110 in this way, for example, the injection control unit 101 displays information indicating that the syringe assembly 300 has been mounted on the display unit 104. It can be displayed to visually inform the operator, and further, the operation of the chemical injection device 100 can be moved to the next step.

The information displayed on the display unit 104 at this time may be a text message or information represented by symbols. Further, a light emitting lamp (not shown) is provided separately from the display unit 104, and the injection control unit 101 lights the light emitting lamp to visually notify the operator that the installation of the syringe assembly 300 is completed. it can. In this case, the light emitting lamp can be provided on the injection head 110. The position of the light emitting lamp provided on the injection head 110 may be arbitrary, but it is preferably near the site where the operator last operates when mounting the syringe assembly 300, for example, near the clamper 140. In particular, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the injection head 110 is provided with a marker 125a (specifically, the letters "A" and "B") for identifying the two piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b. It is preferable to arrange two light emitting lamps so that each of these labeled portions emits light as a light emitting portion. The color visually recognized by lighting the light emitting lamp may be arbitrary, or may be a different color for each corresponding chemical solution, such as blue and green. The injection head 110 may also have a light emitting unit 126 that emits light by lighting another light emitting lamp that emits light in the standby state described above. In the form shown in FIG. 4, there are a plurality of light emitting units 126 arranged at positions separated from each other, but by doing so, it is possible to visually recognize that the standby state is in any direction.

After the attachment of the syringe assembly 300 to the injection head 110 is completed as described above, the injection control unit 101 executes an operation for injecting the drug solution. This operation can include, for example, a series of steps shown below.
(1) Acceptance of data input and setting of injection conditions (2) Preparation for injection (3) Execution of injection operation according to the set injection conditions (4) Injection operation end processing These processes will be described in order below. ..

(1) Accepting data input and setting injection conditions In this step, the injection control unit 101 causes the display unit 104 to display a screen for setting injection conditions, and inputs input to the input unit 103 for setting injection conditions. Allows operation.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the injection condition setting screen 400. The injection condition setting screen 400 shown in FIG. 6 has an injection mode icon 401, a quick memory icon 402, a confirmation icon 403, a speed setting icon 404, an injection amount setting icon 405, an injection time setting icon 406, a dilution degree setting icon 407, and a syringe. Includes information icon 408, purge icon 409, and the like.

The syringe information icon 408 graphically displays information about the syringe 320 mounted on the injection head 110 (see FIG. 4). The information displayed on the syringe icon 408 can include the amount of the drug solution filled in the attached syringe 320. Further, during the injection operation of the chemical solution, the operator can visually recognize the injection operation of the chemical solution by displaying an arbitrary animation.

The injection mode icon 401 is an icon indicating which injection mode is used to execute the injection operation among the plurality of injection modes preset in the injection control unit 101. The injection modes include, for example, a "normal injection mode" in which only the drug solution A is injected, a "flash mode" in which the drug solution B is injected after the injection of the drug solution A is completed, and a "dilution mode" in which the drug solution A and the drug solution B are injected at the same time. Examples include "mode" and "multi-mode" in which only the drug solution A is injected in a plurality of phases. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the “dilution mode” is selected. When the operator taps the injection mode icon 401, the injection control unit 101 switches the display of the injection mode icon 401, whereby the injection mode can be switched.

The quick memory icon 402 is operated when calling the injection condition registered in the memory of the injection control unit 101. The confirmation icon 403 is operated when the operator approves the injection condition displayed on the injection condition setting screen 400, and when the confirmation icon 403 is tapped, the injection control unit 101 presses the chemical solution injection device 100. The standby state enables the transition to the next step of the chemical injection procedure.

The speed setting icon 404, the injection amount setting icon 405, and the injection time setting icon 406 are used to set the injection rate, injection amount, and injection time of the drug solution, respectively. For example, when setting the injection speed, when the operator taps the speed setting icon 404, the injection control unit 101 overlaps and displays a numeric keypad icon (not shown) for inputting the injection speed on the injection condition setting screen 400. Let me. The injection speed can be set by the operator inputting and confirming a numerical value through this numeric keypad screen. The injection amount and injection time can be set in the same manner as the injection rate setting. Further, in the "dilution injection mode", the speed setting icon 404 and the injection amount setting icon 405 set the total injection rate and injection amount of the chemical solution A and the chemical solution B.

The dilution degree setting icon 407 is an icon operated in setting the ratio of the target chemical solution to the reference chemical solution to be injected in the dilution injection mode. There are several ways to express the degree of dilution, but in this embodiment, based on the idea of diluting the drug solution A with the drug solution B, the amount of the drug solution A with respect to the total amount of the drug solution A and the drug solution B, that is, the drug solution A. It is expressed as a dilution ratio calculated by / (chemical solution A + chemical solution B). This means, for example, that when the drug solution A is a contrast medium and the drug solution B is a physiological saline solution, when the contrast medium is diluted with the physiological saline solution, the ratio of the contrast medium to the total amount is contained. Means. The dilution ratio may be set to, for example, 50% as a default value.

The dilution ratio can be set, for example, as follows.

When the operator taps the dilution degree setting icon 407, the injection control unit 101 pops up the dilution ratio input screen 430 as shown in FIG. 7 on the injection condition setting screen 400, or the injection condition setting screen. The display is switched from 400 to the dilution ratio input screen 430. The dilution ratio input screen 430 can have a numeric keypad icon 431 and a ratio setting bar 432. With the numeric keypad icon 431, the ratio of the amount of the chemical solution A to the total amount of the chemical solution A and the chemical solution B can be set numerically. When the operator operates the numeric keypad icon 431 and inputs a numerical value, the injection control unit 101 determines the input numerical value as the dilution ratio.

On the other hand, the ratio setting bar 432 can have a ratio display unit 432a and a slider icon 432b. The ratio display unit 432a shows the ratio of the chemical solution A and the chemical solution B as a band graph, and the slider icon 432b is displayed so that the operator can move the ratio along the ratio display unit 432a while touching it. Is controlled. When the position of the slider icon 432b is moved by the operator, the injection control unit 101 sets the dilution ratio to a ratio corresponding to the position of the slider icon 432b. In order to make it easier to visually recognize the dilution ratio, the ratio display unit 432a may display the chemical solution A side and the chemical solution B side in different colors with the position of the slider icon 432b as a boundary.

The dilution ratio can be set from any of the numeric keypad icon 431 and the ratio bar 432. Further, the dilution ratio input screen 430 may have only one of the numeric keypad icon 431 and the ratio bar 432. Further, the input of the dilution ratio is not limited to the above method, and any method can be used. When the dilution ratio is set, the injection control unit 101 either eliminates the pop-up display of the dilution ratio input screen 430 from the injection condition setting screen 400 or turns off the injection condition setting screen according to the display form of the dilution ratio input screen 430. The display is switched to 400, and the set dilution ratio is displayed on the dilution ratio icon 407 on the injection condition setting screen 400.

The operator performs a data input operation as necessary according to the display on the injection condition setting screen 400. When the input of all the data for setting the injection conditions is completed and the operator taps the confirmation icon 403, the display is switched to "Start OK", and the chemical solution injection device 100 is in the standby state where the chemical solution can be injected. Become.

(2) Injection preparation The injection preparation can include "purge operation" and "positioning of the injection circuit".

(2a) Purge operation The purge operation is performed after the extracorporeal circuit portion of the injection circuit 200 is connected to the syringe assembly 300 and before the injection operation of the chemical solution is started. In the purge operation, the syringe 320 The chemical solution inside discharges the air in the extracorporeal circuit and the fluid containing the chemical solution from the injection circuit. Since the fluid inside the extracorporeal circuit is discharged from the injection circuit, the purge operation is performed when the tip of the extracorporeal circuit is not connected to the end of the internal circuit, or a three-way stopcock between the extracorporeal circuit and the internal circuit. Is executed with the three-way stopcock switched so that the drug solution is discharged from the side tube connected to the remaining port of the three-way stopcock. Further, the purge operation is basically performed to fill the inside of the external circuit part with the chemical solution when the external circuit part is not filled with the chemical solution, and it is necessary to perform the purge operation when the external circuit part is filled with the chemical solution. There is no. However, if the dilution ratio is changed, for example, when the second injection is performed at a dilution ratio different from that of the first injection after the first injection, purging even if the extracorporeal circuit part is filled with the chemical solution. It is preferable to perform the operation.

The trigger for performing the purge operation is given by the operator. For this purpose, for example, the injection head 110 can have a purge button 123 (see FIG. 5). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the purge icon 409 can be displayed on the injection condition setting screen 400. Furthermore, both the purge button 123 and the purge icon 409 can be provided.

When the operator presses the purge button 123 or taps the purge icon 409, the injection control unit 101 executes the purge operation. When two syringes 320 are attached to the injection head 110, the purging operation can be performed by discharging the chemical solution from each syringe 320 at the same discharge amount and discharge rate. In this case, the dilution ratio is 50%. Alternatively, the injection control unit 101 sets the discharge ratio, which is the ratio of the discharge amount of the chemical solution A to the total of the discharge amount of the chemical solution A and the discharge amount of the chemical solution B, so that the chemical solution is discharged according to the set discharge ratio. The operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b may be controlled.

The discharge ratio in the purge operation in this case preferably follows the dilution ratio, which is one of the injection conditions of the chemical solution. As described above, when the injection control unit 101 accepts the input of the dilution ratio through the injection condition setting screen 400, the discharge ratio is set to a value equal to the dilution ratio input here. As a result, the chemical solution A and the chemical solution B are discharged from each syringe 320 in the amount of the chemical solution A and the amount of the chemical solution B according to the dilution ratio. When the injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. 2 is used, the chemical solution A and the chemical solution B discharged from each syringe 320 pass through the second tubes 202 and 203, respectively, and merge in the first tube 201, where the chemical solution A and the chemical solution A are combined. It is a mixed solution with the chemical solution B. The concentration of the drug solution A in this mixed solution is equal to the concentration of the drug solution A diluted at the set dilution ratio.

As a method of controlling the operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b for discharging the chemical solution at the set discharge ratio, the discharge speed, that is, the control based on the moving speed of the presser 131 of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b, and the discharge amount, That is, control based on the amount of movement of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b can be mentioned.

The purge amount, which is the total amount of the chemical solution discharged in the purge operation, may be an amount that can fill the extracorporeal circuit portion with the desired chemical solution, and the amount is set as one of the injection conditions of the chemical solution. It is a small amount compared to the amount. Therefore, it is preferable that the purge amount is set in the injection control unit 101 separately from the injection amount at the time of injecting the drug solution. The preferred value of the purge amount depends on the volume of the extracorporeal circuit part used, but can generally be 5 mL to 10 mL.

When the purge amount is predetermined, the discharge rate of the chemical solution in the purge operation is arbitrary as long as the final discharge amount is a desired amount, and is the same as the injection rate set as the chemical solution injection condition. It may or may not be different. Further, the discharge rate may be constant during at least a part of the time from the start to the end of the purge operation, or may be changed over time.

For example, the injection control unit 101 discharges both chemicals at the same discharge rate at the start of the purge operation, and then adjusts the discharge rate of at least one of the chemicals over time until the end of the purge operation. The discharge conditions of the chemical solution in the purging operation can be set so that the final dilution degree becomes the desired dilution degree by changing the target or continuously.

When the extracorporeal circuit part is not filled with the chemical solution, the purging operation is performed in a state where the extracorporeal circuit part is not connected to the extracorporeal circuit part, and the extracorporeal circuit part is inside the body by the operator after the completion of the purging operation. It is connected to the circuit section.

(2b) Positional arrangement of the injection circuit The fixed position arrangement of the injection circuit is a procedure for sending the injection circuit, particularly the internal circuit portion (catheter), so that its tip is located at a desired site in the blood vessel. The fixed position arrangement of the injection circuit can be performed independently of the purge operation, but in this embodiment, it is performed after the purge operation is completed and the internal circuit portion and the external circuit portion are connected.

After the blood vessel of the subject and the syringe are connected by the injection circuit, the flow rate sensor 210 is driven, and the detection operation by the flow rate sensor 210 is continuously performed regardless of the presence or absence of injection of the drug solution. The flow rate sensor 210 transmits a detection signal according to the movement (movement amount and movement direction) of the liquid in the conduit (pipe 211 shown in FIG. 3 in this embodiment) to the injection control unit 101 of the chemical liquid injection device 100.

In the state where the injection circuit including the internal circuit part is connected to the blood vessel of the subject, even if the drug solution is not injected, it is slightly in the injection circuit due to the pulsation of blood in the blood vessel. The movement of the chemical solution occurs. In general, when a liquid moves in a straight pipe, the pressure of the moving liquid is proportional to the flow rate or the square of the flow rate, and there is a correlation between the flow rate and the pressure (proportional to the flow rate or 2 of the flow rate). Whether it is proportional to the power depends on the viscosity of the liquid). Therefore, the pressure of the liquid can be obtained from the detection result by the flow rate sensor 210. Since this pressure corresponds to the blood pressure of the subject in the state where the drug solution is not injected, the blood pressure of the subject can be obtained by the flow rate sensor 210.

In order to obtain the blood pressure of the subject, the injection control unit 101 can have a pressure calculation function of calculating the pressure using the detection result transmitted from the flow rate sensor 210. In order to calculate the pressure from the flow rate, parameters such as the cross-sectional area of the pipeline of the flow sensor 210, the length of the pipeline, and the density of the liquid filling the pipeline are required. These parameters may be preset in the injection control unit 101, may be input by the operator via the input unit 103, and may be transmitted to the injection control unit 101, or the flow sensor 210 may be used. When the configuration shown in FIG. 3 is provided, the semiconductor module 212 includes a memory for storing at least one of these parameters as data, and even if the data in this memory is transmitted to the injection control unit 101 together with the detection result. Alternatively, two or more of these may be combined.

Since the injection control unit 101 has the pressure calculation function as described above, the tip of the catheter can be arranged at a desired position while monitoring the blood pressure of the subject. As a result, the pressure transducer used to measure the blood pressure of the subject in the conventional injection circuit becomes unnecessary. Since the pressure transducer is not required, the configuration of the injection circuit is simplified, and the operation such as switching the flow path, which is necessary when measuring the blood pressure using the pressure transducer, is not required, so that troubles due to operation mistakes are not required. Etc. do not occur.

(3) Execution of injection operation according to the set injection conditions As described above, after the display is switched to "Start OK" by tapping the confirmation icon 403, the hand switch 118 is operated, thereby operating the injection control unit. The 101 operates the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b, and the injection operation of the chemical solution is started. The hand switch 118 may be a momentary operation type switch, and in this case, the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b operate only while the button of the hand switch 118 is pressed. The chemical injection operation can also be started by a command from the linked medical image imaging device 500.

In the injection operation of the chemical solution, the injection control unit 101 is operated by the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b so that the chemical solution is injected under the set injection conditions (including at least one of the injection rate, the injection amount, the injection time and the injection pressure). It is done by controlling the operation of. When the injection mode is the dilution injection mode, both piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b are operated at the same time so that the chemical solution A and the chemical solution B are injected at the set dilution ratio. Here, the purge operation is executed prior to the injection operation, and the tip side of the confluence portion of the extracorporeal circuit portion (for example, the T-shaped connector 204 of the injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. 2) is already at a desired dilution ratio. Since the chemical solution is filled in the diluted state, the chemical solution diluted at the desired dilution ratio is immediately injected when the injection operation is started. This minimizes the time lag between wasteful injection of the drug solution and the dilution ratio of the injected drug solution to the desired ratio, resulting in a better image with a smaller amount of drug solution and a shorter time. Can be obtained.

Actually, when the injection operation is started, the chemical solution remaining in the internal circuit portion is injected, and then the chemical solution in the external circuit portion is injected. Therefore, if the extracorporeal circuit part used is new and the inside is filled with physiological saline, or if the dilution ratio at the time of the previous injection is different from the dilution ratio of this time, the desired dilution ratio can be obtained. Different solutions may be infused first. However, usually, a catheter used for injecting a contrast medium as an internal circuit portion is often used with an inner diameter of 2 mm or less and an effective length of about 1 m. Therefore, the volume of the catheter is extremely small compared to the amount of the drug solution injected in one examination.

On the other hand, the medical image imaging device 500 starts the imaging operation in response to the chemical solution injection operation by the chemical solution injection device 100. The imaging operation by the medical image imaging device 500 may be executed by the operation by the operator as a trigger, or may be automatically executed in conjunction with the injection operation by the chemical solution injection device 100. When the injection operation and the imaging operation are linked, for example, the injection operation is performed so that the imaging operation is started after a predetermined time required for the injected drug solution to reach the target site after the injection operation is started. At the same time as the start, the injection control unit 101 of the chemical injection device 100 transmits an injection start signal to the image pickup control unit 510 of the medical image imaging device 500, and the image pickup control unit 510 that receives the injection start signal receives the injection start signal after the elapse of the predetermined time. The injection control unit 101 transmits an injection start signal to the imaging control unit 510 after the predetermined time has elapsed from the control of the 520 to start the imaging operation or the injection operation is started, and the imaging control unit 510 sends the injection start signal. The image pickup operation unit 520 can be controlled to start the image pickup operation immediately after the reception of the above.

The imaging control unit 510 can reconstruct the data obtained by the imaging operation of the imaging operation unit 520 to acquire a medical image, and display the acquired medical image on the display unit 504 in real time. Further, if the data of the injection conditions such as the injection speed, the injection amount, the injection time, and the injection pressure of the chemical solution are transmitted from the injection control unit 101 to the imaging control unit 510, the imaging control unit 510 is transmitted to the display unit 504. Part or all of the injection conditions can be displayed in real time together with or separately from medical images and imaging conditions.

By displaying part or all of the injection conditions in real time, for example, in the case of repeating image imaging and drug solution injection multiple times while changing the site in liver examination and treatment, the cumulative total up to the imaging stage. The injection amount and the X-ray irradiation amount can be displayed. By doing so, it is determined on the spot whether the cumulative X-ray irradiation amount does not exceed the standard value and whether the injection amount of the contrast medium for a subject with poor liver function does not exceed the standard value. When the X-ray irradiation amount and / or the injection amount is likely to exceed the reference value, the X-ray irradiation amount and the injection amount of the contrast medium can be adjusted as necessary.

In this embodiment, since the injection circuit 200 has a flow rate sensor 210, the flow rate sensor 210 can detect the injection amount of the chemical solution during the injection operation of the chemical solution. The injection amount data measured by the flow rate sensor 210 is transmitted to the injection control unit 101. The injection control unit 101 uses the data transmitted from the flow rate sensor 210 to display the injection amount of the chemical solution on the display unit 104 in real time, or the piston drive mechanism 130a so that the chemical solution is injected at the set injection amount. The operation of 130b can be controlled. Conventionally, the injection amount of the chemical solution has been indirectly obtained from the movement amount of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b, the rotation amount of the motor for driving the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b, and the like. However, by making it possible to measure directly with the flow rate sensor 210 as in this embodiment, the injection amount of the chemical solution can be obtained more accurately.

Further, in the present embodiment, the injection control unit 101 has a pressure calculation function. By using this function, the injection pressure can also be calculated. Using the calculated injection pressure, the injection control unit 101 can control the operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b so that the obtained injection pressure does not exceed the set injection pressure. Conventionally, a load sensor is built in the presser 131 of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b, and the injection pressure is obtained by the load sensor, or the injection pressure is obtained from the motor current flowing through the motor that drives the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b. Was there. By obtaining the injection pressure from the detection result of the flow sensor 210 as in this embodiment, the load sensor becomes unnecessary, so that the configuration of the chemical injection system can be simplified, or the injection pressure can be obtained from the state of the chemical flow. Therefore, the effect that the injection pressure can be obtained more accurately is achieved as compared with the case where the injection pressure is obtained from the motor current.

(4) Injection operation end processing After the injection operation is completed, the injection control unit 101 can display the injection result on the display unit 104 as one of the injection operation end processes. Examples of displayed results include injection end date and time, injection mode, set imaging site, injection rate, injection volume, dilution ratio (in the case of dilution injection mode), time required for injection, maximum pressure during injection, etc. Is mentioned and may be displayed at least one of these items. Further, as one of the injection operation termination processes, the injection control unit 101 records these injection results in an appropriate memory device inside or outside the chemical injection device 100, or transmits the injection results to the medical image imaging device 500. be able to.

When the injection operation end process is completed, the injection control unit 101 can display the injection condition setting screen 400 on the display unit 104 again by a predetermined operation by the operator. When the drug solution is repeatedly injected under different conditions or the same conditions for the next test or treatment, the injection conditions can be set on the injection condition setting screen 400, and the drug solution can be injected under the set injection conditions. it can. In particular, when the injection mode is the dilution injection mode and the dilution ratio is changed from the previous time, the purge operation is performed. As a result, even in the next injection, a good image can be obtained with a smaller amount of chemical solution and a shorter time.

By the way, in angiography, since the contrast medium is injected using an elongated catheter, the contrast medium is injected at a higher injection pressure than the injection of the contrast medium in CT imaging using an indwelling needle. In some cases, the internal pressure of the syringe becomes very high during the injection operation, and the contrast medium is injected with the syringe (cylinder) inflated by the pressure. Therefore, when the injection operation is completed and the operation of the piston drive mechanism is stopped, the expanded syringe tries to return to its original state. At this time, since the piston is held by the piston drive mechanism, the expanded volume of the contrast medium flows out from the tip of the injection circuit.

Therefore, in order to suppress the consumption of the excess contrast medium after the injection operation is completed, the injection control unit 101 is set in the injection circuit 200 by the flow sensor 210 after the injection operation is completed (after the operation of the piston drive mechanism is stopped). When the movement of the chemical solution is detected, it is preferable to control the operation of the piston drive mechanism so that the piston drive mechanism moves in the backward direction, which is the direction in which the liquid in the injection circuit 200 is sucked into the syringe. The retreat amount of the piston drive mechanism may be a predetermined amount, or may be an amount corresponding to the movement amount of the chemical solution detected by the flow rate sensor 210. Alternatively, the amount of retreat of the piston is not particularly determined, and the piston drive mechanism may be retreated until the movement of the chemical solution is not detected by the flow rate sensor 210.

(Application for CT imaging)
FIG. 8 shows the appearance of a medical imaging system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 9 shows a block diagram showing the functional configuration. In this embodiment, a CT device is used as the medical image imaging device 500, and as the chemical solution injection device 100, an injection device suitable for injecting a chemical solution used when taking a CT image by the CT device is used. Also in this embodiment, the medical image imaging system includes the chemical injection device 100, the medical image imaging device 500, and the injection circuit 200, the chemical injection device 100 includes the RFID module 166, and the syringe 350 Except for the fact that the RFID tag 352 is included, the functional configuration can be the same as that described above.

The chemical injection device 100 includes an injection head 110 supported by a stand 116 with casters, and a console 112 having various functions for controlling the operation of the chemical injection device 100. The same applies to the above-mentioned medical image imaging system for angiography, but usually, the injection head 110 is arranged in the examination room together with the imaging operation unit of the medical image imaging device 500, and the console 112 is the medical image imaging device. It is arranged in the operation room together with 500 imaging control units.

As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the injection head 110 can be detachably attached with two syringes 350. The syringe 350 can be, for example, one for a contrast medium and the other for a saline solution. The syringe 350 has a cylinder and a piston. The injection head 110 has a cylinder holding portion 151 for holding the cylinder of the syringe 350 and a piston driving mechanism 130a for operating (moving back and forth with respect to the cylinder) the piston of the syringe 350 whose cylinder is held by the cylinder holding portion 151. , 130b and.

The piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b are attached to a rod 153 that is moved back and forth by a motion conversion mechanism such as a lead screw mechanism or a rack and pinion mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the motor that is the drive source into linear motion, and the tip of the rod 153. It can have a fixed presser 152 and.

The injection head 110 is entirely covered with a synthetic resin housing 155, except for a part of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b (for example, the presser 152). On the upper surface of the housing 155, a button group 156 including a plurality of operation buttons corresponding to various operations is provided so that the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b can be operated by the user's operation.

The operation buttons include, for example, a check button for making the chemical injection device ready for injection, a start button operated when starting injection, a forward button for advancing the presser 152 by an arbitrary distance, and a presser. It can include a retract button for retracting the 152 by an arbitrary distance, an acceleration button for accelerating its speed while the presser 152 is moving, an auto-return button for retracting the presser 152 to the initialization position, and the like. In this embodiment, two forward buttons, two backward buttons, two acceleration buttons, and two auto return buttons are provided so that the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b can be operated independently.

The cylinder holding portion 151 is configured so that the syringe 350 is mounted via the adapter 600. Syringes 350 are available in various sizes depending on the volume of the chemical solution that can be filled. The adapter 600 is prepared for each size of the syringe 350 and has a structure capable of receiving a cylinder flange 351 formed at the end of the cylinder of the matching syringe 350 as shown in FIG. 11, and has an injection head. It is detachably attached to the cylinder holding portion 151 of 110.

The syringe 350 can be attached to the injection head 110, for example, by attaching the adapter 600 to the cylinder holding portion 151 of the injection head 110 and then inserting the cylinder flange 351 of the syringe 350 into the adapter 600. The adapter 600 has a groove for receiving the cylinder flange 351, and the syringe 350 is held by the adapter 600 by inserting the cylinder flange 351 into the groove. Further, after the cylinder flange 351 is inserted into the groove of the adapter 600, it has a locking mechanism for locking the cylinder by rotating the syringe 350 around its axis by a predetermined angle (for example, 90 degrees) as shown in FIG. You may be. By using the adapter 600 in this way, syringes 350 of various sizes can be attached to the injection head 110.

In this embodiment, the injection head 110 has two piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b so that two syringes 350 can be attached, but is configured so that only one syringe 350 can be attached. It may be configured so that three or more syringes 350 can be attached. The number of the cylinder holding portion 151 and the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b is changed according to the number of syringes 350 that can be attached.

The syringe 350 may be a prefilled type syringe provided by the formulation manufacturer in a state of being filled with the drug solution, or may be a site-filled type syringe filled with the drug solution at the medical site.

The syringe 350 may further carry an RFID tag 352 which is a data carrier. The mounting position of the RFID tag 352 may be arbitrary, and may be, for example, the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder. The injection head 110 may have an RFID module 166 to read data from the RFID tag 352 and / or to record data on the RFID tag 352. The RFID module 166 has an RFID control circuit 164 and an antenna 165, reads data recorded on the RFID tag 352 by the antenna 165, transmits the read data to the injection control unit 101, and / or the injection control unit. The data transmitted from 101 can be recorded on the RFID tag 352. The RFID control circuit 164 controls the data transmission / reception operation in the RFID module 166. That is, the RFID module 166 functions as a reader that reads data from the RFID tag 352, or further as a reader / writer that records data on the RFID tag 352.

The data recorded on the RFID tag 352 includes various data on the chemical solution filled in the syringe 350, for example, the manufacturer, the type of the chemical solution, the product number, and the contained components (particularly, when the chemical solution is a contrast medium, the iodine content concentration). , Etc.), filling amount, lot number, expiration date, etc., as well as various data related to syringes, such as unique identification numbers such as manufacturer and product number, allowable pressure value, syringe capacity, piston stroke, required parts dimensions, lot. It can include numbers and the like. At least a part of these data can be transmitted to the medical image capturing apparatus 500.

Although the RFID control circuit 164 can be installed at any position, it is desirable that the antenna 165 be installed at a position facing the RFID tag 352 while the syringe 350 is normally held by the cylinder holding portion 151. ..

In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the RFID tag 352 has a shape having a longitudinal direction, and the RFID tag 352 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder so that the longitudinal direction coincides with the circumferential direction of the syringe 350. After being received by the cylinder holding portion 151, the syringe 350 is normally held by rotating the syringe 350 in a specific orientation, and the RFID tag 352 is designed to face downward in the held state. Has been done.

The antenna 165 of the RFID module 166 has an FPC (flexible printed circuit board) forming a predetermined pattern (for example, one or a plurality of loop-shaped patterns) made of conductors, and holds a syringe as shown in FIG. The syringe 350 is bent and arranged in an arc shape so as to be concentric with the syringe 350 at a position facing the RFID tag 352 of the syringe 350 normally held in the portion. As a result, the detection range of the RFID tag 352 attached on the curved surface is expanded.

Further, in the present embodiment, the antenna 165 has a larger area than the RFID tag 352 so that the RFID tag 352 can surely face the antenna 165 even if the attachment position of the RFID tag 352 varies. ing. Therefore, it is preferable that the size of the antenna 165 is designed in consideration of the variation in the attachment position of the RFID tag 352 to the syringe 350.

On the other hand, by bending the antenna 165 into an arc shape, the smaller the radius of curvature of the antenna 165 and the longer the length of the antenna 165 in the circumferential direction, the more easily the radio waves for communication interfere with each other, and the lower the communication sensitivity. Tend to do. Therefore, in order to suppress radio wave interference, it is preferable that the antenna 165 has a ferrite sheet 165a on a surface opposite to the surface facing the RFID tag 352 of the FPC.

The output of the RFID module 166 can be, for example, 200 mW. As a result, the detection range (detection distance) of the RFID tag 352 can be further widened, and the RFID module 166 can read information from the RFID tag 352 or the RFID tag 352 through the chemical solution filled in the syringe 350. It is also possible to write information. This is because, for example, the RFID module 166 and the RFID tag 802 are in a state where the syringe 350 is rotated 180 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 13 and faces the antenna 165 via the chemical solution filled in the syringe 350. It means that information can be read out between the two.

The RFID module 166 can be placed in any position. In the case of the arrangement shown in FIG. 13, the RFID module 166 can have at least an antenna 165 built in the injection head 110. Further, the RFID module 166 may be a handy type, in which case at least the antenna 165 is arranged in a handy unit separate from the injection head 110. When the RFID module 166 is configured as a handy unit, information from the RFID tag 352 by bringing the handy unit closer to the RFID tag 352 attached to the syringe before or after the syringe is attached to the injection head 110. Can be read. The transmission and reception of information between the RFID module 166 and the injection control unit 101 may be by wired communication or wireless communication.

Next, an example of the chemical solution injection operation by the chemical solution injection device 100 described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13.

When the syringe 350 filled with the chemical solution is attached to the injection head 110 in a predetermined procedure while the power of the chemical solution injection device 100 is turned on, various data are read from the RFID tag 352 by the RFID module 166.

Based on the data read from the RFID tag 352, the injection control unit 101 displays the type of the chemical solution filled in the syringe 350 on the display unit 104 as necessary, or moves the presser 152 to the standby position. Move it. The standby position is an arbitrary position between the position where the presser 152 abuts on the end of the piston of the syringe 350 and the position at the end. To move to the standby position, the injection control unit 101 obtains the end position of the piston based on the data regarding the syringe 350 read from the RFID tag 352, and the end position of the piston is determined from the initial position which is the end position of the movable range of the presser 152. This can be done by finding the distance to the position and operating the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b so that the presser 152 advances by the distance and an arbitrary offset value predetermined. As a result, the presser 152 is moved to the standby position.

Further, the injection control unit 101 creates an injection protocol with parameters such as an injection rate, an injection amount, and an injection time, based on the data acquired from the RFID tag 352 and the data input from the input unit 103. The created injection protocol can be displayed on the display unit 104 in the form of graphic or numerical data. The operator can arbitrarily change the displayed injection protocol by inputting data or the like from the input unit 103. When the operator presses the check button of the injection head 110, the injection operation according to the created or modified injection protocol becomes possible.

On the other hand, the operator connects the syringe 350 and the subject with the injection circuit 200. When taking a CT image, an indwelling needle is used as an internal circuit portion of the injection circuit 200.

When the operator presses the start button of the injection head 110 while the injection operation by the injection head 110 is possible and the syringe 350 and the subject are connected by the injection circuit 200, the injection control unit 101 is created. The operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b is controlled so that the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b operate according to the injection protocol. As a result, the drug solution filled in the syringe 350 can be injected into the subject.

Also in this embodiment, the injection circuit 200 provided with the flow rate sensor 210 is used, and the movement of the chemical solution in the injection circuit 200, particularly the flow rate sensor 210, can be monitored from the time when the injection circuit 200 is connected to the subject.

Before injecting the drug solution, a confirmation called "route confirmation" is often performed to confirm whether or not the tip of the indwelling needle is located in the blood vessel. This is because if the drug solution is injected while the tip of the indwelling needle is located outside the blood vessel, not only a desired image cannot be obtained, but also various side effects may occur. Conventionally, this "route confirmation" involves fluid communication between the syringe and the subject by an injection circuit, and then retracts the piston of a syringe filled with saline, for example, to allow blood to flow into the injection circuit. It was done by confirming whether or not it was.

Here, the behavior of the drug solution in the injection circuit 200 differs depending on whether the tip of the indwelling needle is located inside the blood vessel or outside the blood vessel. The difference in the behavior of the drug solution in the injection circuit 200 appears as a difference in the detection result from the flow rate sensor 210. Therefore, from the detection result of the flow rate sensor 210, the tip of the indwelling needle is located inside the blood vessel or outside the blood vessel. It is possible to judge whether it is located. The situation where the tip of the indwelling needle is located outside the blood vessel may occur at the stage when the indwelling needle is punctured, or when the subject moves after the indwelling needle is normally punctured, for example, during injection of a drug solution. Sometimes.

For example, when the drug solution is not injected, if the tip of the indwelling needle is located in the blood vessel, the indwelling needle and the blood vessel are in communication with each other, so that in the injection circuit based on the pulsation of blood in the blood vessel. The movement of the chemical solution is detected by the flow rate sensor 210. On the other hand, when the tip of the indwelling needle is located outside the blood vessel, the tip side of the indwelling needle is occluded or opened, and the movement of the drug solution based on the pulsation of blood is not detected. Therefore, the injection control unit 101 uses the detection result transmitted from the flow rate sensor 210 to determine whether or not the movement of the drug solution based on the pulsation of the blood is detected by the flow rate sensor 210 before the injection of the drug solution. It can have an injection circuit tip position determination function for determining the tip position of the injection circuit 200. As a result, the route can be confirmed only by monitoring the detection result from the flow rate sensor 210 without operating the syringe as described above.

On the other hand, if the tip of the indwelling needle comes off the blood vessel during injection of the drug solution, a phenomenon called extravasation of the drug solution occurs. Extravasation may also occur if the subject's vascular wall is weak. When extravasation occurs, it is necessary to stop the injection of the drug solution depending on the degree of leakage, so it is desirable to be able to grasp the status of extravasation as quickly and accurately as possible.

Conventionally, the detection of extravasation has used a leakage detection device that optically detects the leakage of a drug solution near the body surface of a subject. The leak detection device has a sensor head having a built-in light emitting element that emits light for detection and a light receiving element that detects the intensity of the light emitted from the light emitting element, and the sensor head is an indwelling needle by an adhesive sheet or the like. Extravasation during injection of the drug solution was detected while being fixed to the body surface of the subject near the puncture position.

Here, when an extravasation of the drug solution occurs, the flow rate of the drug solution per unit time increases or decreases from the intended flow rate, and the occurrence of the extravasation of the drug solution is caused by the behavior of the drug solution in the injection circuit. Appears as a change. Therefore, the injection control unit 101 has an injection speed set as one of the injection conditions of the chemical solution, or an injection rate obtained from the injection amount and the injection time set as a part of the injection condition of the chemical solution, and the flow rate sensor 210. Compare with the flow rate per unit time of the drug solution in the injection circuit calculated from the detection result transmitted at regular time intervals, and if both values are different, it is judged that extravasation has occurred. It can have a judgment function. As described above, since the injection control unit 101 has the leakage determination function, it is possible to detect the extravasation without using the leakage detection device as in the conventional case.

Further, contrary to the extravasation, kink may occur due to the tube constituting the injection circuit being twisted in the middle. When a kink occurs, the drug solution may not be injected normally or may not be injected at all. In some cases, the occurrence of kink can also cause damage to the injection circuit. The occurrence of kink also appears as a change in the behavior of the drug solution in the injection circuit, such as the flow rate of the drug solution per unit time being lower than the intended flow rate. Therefore, the injection control unit 101 was obtained from the injection rate set as one of the injection conditions of the drug solution, or the injection amount and the injection time set as a part of the injection conditions of the drug solution during the injection operation of the drug solution. The injection rate is compared with the flow rate per unit time of the chemical solution in the injection circuit calculated from the detection result transmitted from the flow rate sensor 210 at regular time intervals, and the value of the injection rate obtained from the injection conditions is used. However, when the value of the flow rate per unit time obtained from the detection result by the flow rate sensor 210 is smaller, it is possible to have a kink determination function for determining that a kink has occurred in the injection circuit. As described above, since the injection control unit 101 has a kink determination function, it is possible to detect the occurrence of kink during the injection operation of the chemical solution.

As described above, the injection control unit 101 has a determination function for determining that an abnormality has occurred in the injection circuit 200 when a detection result different from the specific detection result is obtained from the flow rate sensor 210, thereby confirming the route. The presence or absence of an abnormality can be detected by the flow rate sensor 210 such as extravasation detection and kink detection.

When the flow sensor 210 detects the occurrence of an abnormality, the injection control unit 101 causes the display unit 104 to display a message or mark or the like according to the type of the abnormality, and / or operates the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b. Can be switched to the abnormal occurrence operation. Examples of the abnormal occurrence operation include stopping the operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b (stopping the injection of the chemical solution), decelerating the moving speed of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b (decreasing the injection speed of the chemical solution), and the like.

(Other forms of injection circuit)
FIG. 14 shows another form of the injection circuit 200 having a flow sensor 210. Like the injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. 2, the injection circuit 200 of this embodiment also has a first tube 201, a plurality of second tubes 202 and 203, a T-shaped connector 204, a connector 205 to 207, and a flow rate sensor 210. These may be configured in the same manner as the injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the injection circuit 200 is connected to a three-way stopcock 208 arranged in the middle of the second tubes 202 and 203, and to each of the three-way stopcocks 208 so as to branch off from the second tubes 202 and 203. It further has 3 tubes 202a and 203a.

Chemical solution bottles 700a and 700b are connected to the ends of the third tubes 202a and 203a, respectively. The chemical solution bottle 700a connected to the third tube 202a branched from the one second tube 202 contains the same chemical solution as that filled in the syringe connected to the second tube 202. The chemical solution bottle 700b connected to the third tube 203a branched from the other second tube 203 contains the same chemical solution as that filled in the syringe connected to the second tube 203.

According to the injection circuit 200 of the present embodiment, when the syringe to be connected is a post-filling type syringe, the presser is retracted while the syringe is attached to the injection head by appropriately switching the three-way stopcock 208 to retract the chemical solution bottle. The chemical solution in 700a and 700b can be filled in the syringe. After filling the chemical solution, the three-way stopcock 208 is switched so that the third tubes 202a and 203a are blocked from the other tubes, so that the chemical solution in the syringe can be injected.

Here, when the three-way stopcock 208 is switched, the communication state of the chemical solution is changed, so that the chemical solution moves in the injection circuit 200. This movement of the chemical solution is detected by the flow rate sensor 210, and the movement amount and the movement direction of the chemical solution differ depending on which three-way stopcock 208 is switched and how it is switched. Therefore, the injection control unit 101 is provided with a flow path switching determination function for determining the switching state of the three-way stopcock 208 from the detection result of the flow rate sensor 210 when the three-way stopcock 208 is switched, and the determination result is displayed, for example, graphically. By displaying the display on the unit 104, the operator can visually recognize the state of the flow path at that time. A plurality of flow rate sensors 210 may be arranged at appropriate positions in the injection circuit 200 for accurate determination.

When the chemical solution bottle is connected to the injection circuit 200, the chemical solution bottle is usually arranged at a position higher than the injection circuit 200, and the injection circuit is connected to the lower end of the chemical solution bottle, whereby the chemical solution bottle is housed in the chemical solution bottle. Almost all of the prepared chemicals can be used. Further, when the chemical solution is injected at an extremely low speed such as infusion, the chemical solution is dropped by using gravity, and the chemical solution is injected for a long time. In either case, if the suction operation or the injection operation is not stopped before the chemical solution in the chemical solution bottle is consumed, air will be mixed into the injection circuit 200.

Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, the flow rate sensor 210 is arranged at the end of the third tube connected to the chemical solution bottle 700 so that the flow rate sensor 210 is located below the chemical solution bottle 700 when the injection circuit is used. By setting this, the flow rate sensor 210 can detect the flow rate of the chemical solution from the chemical solution bottle 700. The detection result by the flow rate sensor 210 is calculated by the injection control unit 101 as the consumption amount of the chemical solution, and can be displayed on the display unit 104 in real time. Alternatively, if the amount of the chemical solution contained in the chemical solution bottle 700 is given in advance, the consumption amount can be subtracted from this amount of the chemical solution, and the result can be displayed on the display unit 104 as the remaining amount. By doing so, the operator can grasp the consumption amount or the remaining amount of the chemical solution in the chemical solution bottle 700, and as a result, the chemical solution bottle 700 is newly added before all the chemical solution in the chemical solution bottle 700 is consumed. Appropriate measures such as replacement with a new one will be possible.

Further, in the injection circuit 200 shown in FIGS. 2 and 14, a T-shaped connector 204 is arranged at the mixing portion of the chemical solution. In order to enable better mixing of the chemical solution, the T-shaped connector 204 It is preferable to arrange the mixing device 241 as shown in FIG. 16A instead of the above. Hereinafter, the mixing device 241 will be described with reference to FIGS. 16A to 16C, taking as an example a case where a contrast medium and a physiological saline solution are mixed as a chemical solution.

The mixing device 241 includes a main body portion 242 having a first chamber which is a swirling flow generation chamber 242a for generating a swirling flow and a second chamber which is a constriction chamber 242b for concentrating the swirling flow in the axial direction. In this example, the swirl flow generation chamber 242a has a columnar internal space, and the constriction chamber 242b has a conical internal space coaxial with the swirl flow generation chamber 242a. The cross-sectional shape of the swirling flow generation chamber in the lateral direction can be considered to be various shapes formed from a circle, an ellipse, or another curve. Further, the swirling flow generation chamber can be configured to have a stenotic shape in which the tip narrows as it approaches the stenotic chamber.

A conduit portion 243a to which one second tube 202 (see FIG. 2 etc.) is connected is provided on the upstream side of the flow of the main body portion 242 of the mixing device 241, and the first tube 201 (see FIG. 2 etc.) is provided on the downstream side. A conduit portion 243c to which is connected is provided. The conduit portion 243b to which the other second tube 203 (see FIG. 2 and the like) is connected is arranged at a position upstream from the center of the swirl flow generation chamber 242a.

In this example, the contrast medium flows in from the conduit portion 243a and the physiological saline solution flows in from the conduit portion 243b, and both drug solutions are mixed in the mixing device. After that, the mixed drug solution of the contrast medium and the physiological saline flows out from the conduit portion 243c as the liquid outlet.

The conduit portion 243a into which the chemical liquid having a large specific gravity flows is provided in the central portion of the upstream side wall surface of the swirling flow generation chamber 242a on the upstream side in the flow direction. The conduit portion 243c, which is a liquid outlet, is provided so that the center line of the conduit portion 243c and the center line of the conduit portion 243a coincide with each other, that is, both of them are coaxial. By arranging each part so as to have a common axis, the isotropic property of the vortex generated in the mixing device can be enhanced. That is, the vortex can be generated uniformly in the space without stagnation, and the mixing efficiency can be improved.

On the other hand, the conduit portion 243b into which the chemical liquid having a small specific gravity flows is arranged on the side surface of the swirl flow generation chamber 242a and extends in the tangential direction of the circumference of the swirl flow generation chamber 242a having a circular cross section. In other words, the conduit portion 243b is provided at a position deviated from the central axis of the columnar space of the swirl flow generation chamber 242a toward the peripheral edge side, whereby the chemical liquid having a small specific gravity flowing in from the conduit portion 243b is provided. The swirling flow of is generated. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 16C, the flow path 241fb is configured to extend in the circumferential tangential direction of the curved inner surface of the swirl flow generation chamber 242a, thereby flowing in from this flow path. The chemical solution becomes a swirling flow. Further, as is clear from the drawing, the constriction chamber 242b has an inclined inner surface that narrows toward the downstream side in the flow direction, so that the generated swirling flow is concentrated in the central axis direction of the vortex. Become.

Further, the conduit portion 243a into which the contrast medium flows is communicated with the swirling flow generation chamber 242a via the flow path 241fa. As a result, the chemical solution having a large specific gravity can be introduced into the swirling flow generation chamber in a direction parallel to the central axis of the swirling flow of the chemical solution having a small specific gravity. That is, the chemical solution having a large specific gravity is introduced in the direction parallel to the central axis of the columnar space of the swirling flow generation chamber. Further, the conduit portion into which the physiological saline solution flows is communicated with the swirling flow generation chamber via the flow path 241fb. As an example, the inner diameter of the flow path 241fb may be formed smaller than the inner diameter of the flow path 241fa into which the contrast medium flows. According to such a configuration, when the chemical solution is injected at a predetermined pressure, the flow velocity of the chemical solution having a small specific gravity flowing in from the flow path 241fb having a relatively small cross-sectional area becomes faster than the flow velocity of the chemical solution having a large specific gravity. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a decrease in the mixing efficiency between the chemicals due to the attenuation of the inertial force of the swirling flow and the resulting lack of swirling strength, which may occur when the flow velocity of the chemicals having a small specific gravity is slow.

In the mixing device 241 configured as described above, for example, when the contrast medium and the physiological saline flow into the device, the contrast medium flowing into the swirling flow generation chamber from the flow path 241fa flows toward the downstream side in the axial direction. Become. On the other hand, the physiological saline flowing into the swirling flow generation chamber from the flow path 241fb becomes a swirling flow that swirls along the curved inner surface of the chamber, and the swirling flow of the physiological saline is guided to the constriction chamber and swirls. Concentrate in the direction of the central axis of the flow. Such a vortex is known as a Rankine vortex, and the inertial force of the swirling flow can be concentrated in the vicinity of the rotation axis of the vortex.

When two chemical solutions are simultaneously injected in an injection circuit having such a mixing device 241, both chemical solutions are well mixed. That is, in this example, a diluted contrast medium in which the contrast medium and physiological saline are well mixed can be obtained, and as a result, unevenness in the concentration of the contrast medium is eliminated. An excellent contrast effect can be expected as compared with the case of a general injection circuit having.

The injection circuit 200 shown in FIGS. 2 and 14 has a configuration in which two syringes can be connected. However, the injection circuit, particularly the extracorporeal circuit portion, may be configured so that the number of connected syringes is only one, or is configured to be three or more. May be good.

FIG. 17 shows yet another form of the injection circuit 200 having the flow rate sensor 210. Like the injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. 2, the injection circuit 200 of this embodiment also has a first tube 201, a plurality of second tubes 202 and 203, a T-shaped connector 204, a connector 205 to 207, and a flow rate sensor 210. These may be configured in the same manner as the injection circuit 200 shown in FIG. 2 except for the position of the flow rate sensor 210. In the present embodiment, the injection circuit 200 further includes a fourth tube 221 branched and connected from the intermediate portion of one second tube 203, and a flow rate sensor 210 connected to the end of the fourth tube 221. ing. Therefore, in this embodiment, the injection circuit 200 has a total of three ends of two connectors 205, 206 and a flow sensor 210 to which the syringe is connected.

For example, a T-shaped connector 225 can be used for branching the second tube 203. Further, another cock 223 may be provided in the fourth tube 221 in order to prevent the chemical solution from flowing into the fourth tube 221, for example, when the chemical solution is injected. The cock 223 may be provided between the end of the fourth tube 221 and the flow rate sensor 210, or may be provided in the middle portion of the fourth tube 221.

In the injection circuit 200 configured as described above, the injection circuit 200 in which the end connectors 205 and 206 are connected to the syringe and the tip connector 207 is connected to the extracorporeal circuit portion is connected to the subject via the extracorporeal circuit portion. It can be used in a connected state, that is, in a state where the injection circuit 200 is arranged in a fixed position. At the time of use, the cock 223 provided on the fourth tube 221 is opened.

By doing so, the pressure fluctuation due to the pulsation of the blood flowing through the blood vessel of the subject is transmitted to the injection circuit 200 via the internal circuit portion in the state where the chemical solution such as the contrast medium filled in the syringe is not injected. To do. In the injection circuit 200, the movement of the liquid in the injection circuit 200 occurs in response to the pressure fluctuation. The movement of the liquid is detected by the flow rate sensor 210, and the pressure of the liquid and the blood pressure of the subject can be obtained from the detection result, and the pulse of the subject can also be obtained.

That is, in this embodiment, the flow rate sensor 210 can be used as an alternative to the conventional pressure transducer. By using the flow sensor 210 as an alternative to the pressure transducer, even if a high pressure due to the contrast medium is transmitted to the fourth tube 221 at the time of injection of the contrast medium, the flow sensor 210 will not be damaged unlike the pressure transducer. ..

The injection circuit 200 preferably further has a chamber connected to the end of the flow sensor 210. In this case, one of the ends of the injection circuit 200 is the chamber. The chamber facilitates the movement of the chemical solution in the flow rate sensor 210 due to the pressure fluctuation when the pressure fluctuation occurs in the injection circuit 200 on the first tube 201 side, and such a chamber. Is provided, the detection sensitivity of the flow rate sensor 210 can be improved. In the form shown in FIG. 17, the chamber is composed of a fifth tube 222 whose tip side is connected to the flow rate sensor 210 and whose cock 224 is provided on the end side. In use, the cock 224 provided at the end of the fifth tube 222 is closed.

Here, the chamber composed of the fifth tube 222 and the cock 224 functions as a liquid reservoir on the terminal side of the flow rate sensor 210, and affects the ease of movement of the liquid in the flow rate sensor 210. In general, the longer the length of the fifth tube 222, in other words, the larger the capacity of the chamber on the terminal side of the flow rate sensor 210, the easier it is for the liquid to move in the flow rate sensor 210. When the liquid easily moves in the flow rate sensor 210, the signal strength output from the flow rate sensor 210 increases. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the detection sensitivity by the flow rate sensor 210 by appropriately setting the capacity of the chamber according to the physical quantity obtained by using the detection result of the flow rate sensor 210.

The fourth tube 221 may be branched from either of the two second tubes 202 and 203. However, when the specific gravities of the chemical solutions filled in the syringes connected to the ends of the second tubes 202 and 203 are different, it is preferable to branch from the second tube to which the syringe filled with the chemical solution having a small specific gravity is connected. .. This is because a chemical solution having a smaller specific gravity is more likely to move in the tube, and as a result, a larger detection result can be obtained. Therefore, in the form shown in FIG. 17, when the contrast medium and the physiological saline are injected into the syringes connected to the injection circuit 200, respectively, the syringe connected to the second tube 203 in which the fourth tube 221 is branched. Is a syringe filled with physiological saline, and the syringe connected to the other second tube 202 is preferably a syringe filled with a contrast medium.

Further, in the form shown in FIG. 17, the fourth tube 221 is branched from the second tube 203, and the flow rate sensor 210 is provided in the branched fourth tube 221. For example, as shown in FIG. 17A, the fourth tube 221 is provided. The flow rate sensor 210 may be provided on the 2 tube 203. The position where the flow rate sensor 201 is provided may be arbitrary. In addition, the above-mentioned idea can be applied as it is to the idea of which of the second tubes 202 and 203 the flow rate sensor 210 is provided.

(Detection of posture of injection head / vertical movement)
For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, when the injection head 110 is supported by the stand 116, the stand 116 provides the injection head 110 so that the tip side of the syringe can be directed upwards or downwards. It is preferable to support it. The reason is, for example, during the above-mentioned purging operation, the tip of the syringe is directed upward in order to facilitate the discharge of air bubbles existing in the syringe from the syringe, while when injecting the drug solution, even in the syringe. This is so that the tip of the syringe can be directed downward to prevent the bubbles from being injected even if the bubbles remain in the syringe. From the viewpoint of preventing medical accidents, it is desirable that the posture of the injection head can be detected in the chemical injection device.

Here, when the syringe is attached to the injection head 110 and the injection circuit 200 is connected to the syringe, the posture of the injection head 110 is changed to change the position of the tip of the syringe in the vertical direction. The height difference between the tip and the end of 200 changes. The liquid in the injection circuit 200 moves due to the change in the height difference between the tip and the end of the injection circuit 200, and the movement of the liquid is detected by the flow rate sensor 210. Using this detection result, it is possible to determine whether the injection head 110 is in a posture in which the tip of the syringe is directed upward or downward. The injection control unit 101 can be provided with a head posture determination function for determining the attitude of the injection head 110 by appropriately performing arithmetic processing on the detection result transmitted from the flow rate sensor 210. The flow rate sensor 210 is preferably located at or near the tip of the syringe so that the posture of the injection head 110 can be better determined.

When the injection control unit 101 has a head posture determination function, when it is determined that the posture is not suitable for the purge operation or the posture is not suitable for the injection operation, the injection control unit 101 informs the display unit 104 to that effect. It can be displayed as a warning, or the operation of the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b can be controlled so that the piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b do not operate.

The injection head 110 can also be supported in a suspended state from the ceiling. One form thereof is shown in FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, the injection head 110 is supported by an articulated ceiling arm unit 180. The ceiling arm unit 180 has a base portion 181 fixed to the ceiling by bolts or the like, and an articulated arm portion 183 extending from the base portion 181. A mounting arm 183a extending in the vertical direction is rotatably attached to the tip of the arm portion 183 around its axis. The injection head 110 is rotatably attached to the lower end of the attachment arm 183a around an axis extending in the horizontal direction.

In this way, when the injection head 110 is supported by the ceiling arm unit 180, the injection head 110 can be moved to an arbitrary position in the vertical direction within the movable range of the arm portion 183. When the injection head 110 is moved upward or downward while the syringe is attached to the injection head 110 and the injection circuit 200 described above is connected to the syringe, the height difference from the tip of the injection circuit 200 changes. It is possible to determine how much the injection head 110 has moved in the vertical direction by utilizing the fact that the movement of the liquid in the injection circuit 200 caused by this change in height difference is detected by the flow rate sensor 210. Therefore, the injection control unit 101 can have a head vertical movement determining function of appropriately performing arithmetic processing on the detection result transmitted from the flow rate sensor 210 to determine the moving distance of the injection head 110 in the vertical direction.

In the form shown in FIG. 18, it is the second display unit 104b that is attached to the attachment arm 183a together with the injection head 110. The chemical injection system may further have a second display unit 104b separate from the display unit 104 described above.

The second display unit 104b can display various information related to the injection of the drug solution, such as the type of the drug solution, the injection rate, the injection amount, and the injection time. As a result, the operator can confirm the injection conditions of the chemical solution in the vicinity of the injection head 110. Further, the second display unit 104b may be a touch panel capable of input operation by touching the screen. By using the second display unit 104b as a touch panel, the operator can appropriately change the injection conditions according to the state of the subject and the like by using the second display unit 104b.

FIG. 18 shows an example in which the second display unit 104b is attached to the ceiling arm unit 180. However, if the second display unit 104b is in a position that can be visually recognized by the operator who operates the injection head 110, for example, FIG. , It may be attached to the stand 116 shown in FIG. 8, or it may be attached to the injection head 110 via an attachment bracket or the like.

Although various items that can be detected by using the injection circuit 200 provided with the flow rate sensor 210 have been described above, the injection control unit 101 performs appropriate arithmetic processing according to the items to be detected in the detection of the above-mentioned items. Can be done. The injection control unit 101 may be configured to detect all of these items, or may be configured to detect one or more of these items in combination. Good.

(Container and drive mechanism)
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the container filled with the chemical solution is a syringe has been described as an example. However, in the present invention, the container is not limited to the syringe, and may be a chemical solution bottle, a chemical solution bag, or the like. In that case, as the drive mechanism for injecting the chemical solution from the container, a drive mechanism according to the form of the container, such as a tube pump type drive mechanism, can be used.

(Arrangement of units, etc.)
In the above-described embodiment, the injection control unit 101 is included in the chemical injection device 100, and the imaging control unit 510 is included in the medical image imaging device 500. However, both the injection control unit 101 and the imaging control unit 510 may be included in the chemical injection device 100, or both the injection control unit 101 and the imaging control unit 510 may be included in the medical image imaging device 500. Alternatively, both the injection control unit 101 and the imaging control unit 510 may be included in a programmable computer device (not shown) separate from the chemical injection device 100 and the medical image imaging device 500. By doing so, it is not necessary for the chemical injection device 100 and the medical image imaging device 500 to have separate consoles, and the input unit and the display unit of each control unit can be shared. As a result, the configuration of the entire system can be simplified.

Furthermore, a particular function of the injection control unit 101 can be incorporated into a unit separate from the rest of the other functions. For example, the injection condition determination (calculation) function can be incorporated into the imaging control unit 510, and the remaining other functions can be incorporated into the injection control unit 101. In this case, it is not necessary to input data and the like common to the determination of the imaging condition and the determination of the injection condition to the chemical solution injection device 100 and the medical image imaging device 500 in duplicate. Data that is insufficient when determining the injection conditions may be input from the imaging control unit 510, or may be transmitted from the injection control unit 101 to the imaging control unit 510.

The functions of the injection control unit 101 and the functions of the imaging control unit 510 can be realized by using various hardware as necessary, but the main body thereof is realized by the function of the CPU corresponding to the computer program.

The computer program
An injection head having at least one container detachably mounted and having at least one drive mechanism configured to inject a drug solution from the container, a drug solution injection circuit connected to the container, and the drive mechanism. A tube unit having an injection control unit for controlling operation, the drug solution injection circuit having at least one tube, one tip and at least one end, and the tip and end of the tube unit. A computer program for a system having at least one thermal flow sensor with a conduit through which a drug solution flowing through the tube is arranged between the two.
At least part of the procedure described above, eg
The thermal flow rate sensor outputs an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the chemical solution in the conduit as a detection result from the thermal flow rate sensor to the injection control unit.
Using the detection result output from the thermal flow sensor to cause the injection control unit to perform a predetermined function,
It is a computer program for executing.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, at least one of the function of calculating various physical quantities using the detection result from the flow rate sensor 210 and the function of performing various determinations described as the function of the injection control unit 101 (for example, the flow rate sensor 210). The function of calculating the pressure from the flow rate detected by the above method) can be configured as a flow rate sensor control unit separate from the injection control unit 101. In this case, the flow rate sensor control unit can be configured to control the operation of the flow rate sensor 210 and to supply the electric power required to operate the flow rate sensor 210. The flow rate sensor control unit is used by being connected to the flow rate sensor 210, and the flow rate sensor 210 and the flow rate sensor control unit are incorporated into other devices or units such as the chemical injection device 100, the medical image imaging device 500 and the injection circuit 200. It can also be configured as an independent unit that is not. The flow rate sensor control unit can be connected to, for example, the injection control unit 101, and the result (for example, pressure) obtained from the flow rate sensor 210 is transmitted to the injection control unit 101 as data. The injection control unit 101 can display the data (for example, pressure) transmitted from the flow rate sensor control unit on the display unit 104.

From a structural point of view, the injection head 110 and the console 112 shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 can also be integrally configured. If the injection head 110 and the console 112 are integrally configured, the console 112 will also be placed in the laboratory. Since the hand switch 118 can be used to start and stop the injection operation, the operator can control the start and stop of the injection operation in the operation chamber by the hand switch 118.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the two piston drive mechanisms 130a and 130b are mounted on one injection head 110. However, the chemical injection device has two injection heads each equipped with one piston drive mechanism, and the injection control unit 101 interlocks the injection heads with each other to dilute a plurality of chemical solutions during the purging operation and the injection. You can also do it.

(Collaboration with medical network)
At least the drug solution injection device 100 and the medical image imaging device 500 may be connected to the medical network. As a result, the injection rate, injection time, and injection amount of the drug solution injected by the drug solution injection device 100 (if multiple injections are performed in one examination and / or treatment, the injection amount for each injection). And the total injection volume of a series of injections), the injection graph, the type of drug solution injected, the injection results including the dilution ratio when a diluted injection was performed, and the imaging conditions by the medical image imaging device 500 are described in the medical network. It can be stored as injection data in a medical image imaging device, RIS (radiological information system), PACS (medical image storage management system), HIS (hospital information system), etc. As a result, the saved injection data is used for managing the injection history. In particular, the injection amount can be recorded in the medical record information as a used chemical solution or used for accounting processing. It is also possible to acquire physical information such as the body weight of the subject, ID, name, examination site, and examination method from RIS, PACS, HIS, etc., display them on the drug solution injection device, and perform injection according to the information. This information and the data acquired from the RFID tag 802 by the RFID module 166 may be transmitted from the drug solution injection device 100 to the RIS, PACKS, HIS, etc. via the medical image imaging device 500, or the drug solution injection device 100. May be transmitted directly from RIS, PACKS, HIS and the like.

(Use of flow sensor for other devices)
In the injection of a drug solution using a drug solution injection device, as described above, it is common to set an injection protocol in advance and automatically inject the drug solution according to the set injection protocol. However, as another method of chemical injection, there is also a method in which a hand controller operated by an operator is used and the operation of the piston drive mechanism is controlled in real time according to the operation of the hand controller. For example, a drug solution injection device that injects a contrast medium for angiography may be controlled by this method.

This type of hand controller usually has a controller body formed in a size and shape that the operator can hold in his hand. The controller body has an operating member provided to move by the operation of the operator and a detector for detecting the movement of the operating member, and the detection result by the detector is transmitted to the injection control unit of the chemical injection device. The injection control unit is configured to control the operation of the piston drive mechanism based on the detection result transmitted from the detector.

In the hand controller configured as described above, in the present invention, a flow rate sensor can be used as a detector. A form of a hand controller using a flow rate sensor as a detector will be described below.

A hand controller using a flow rate sensor as a detector further includes a bag member having flexibility and airtightness in addition to the controller body, an operating member, and a flow rate sensor which is a detector. One flow path portion that serves as an inlet / outlet for fluid is connected to the bag member, and a flow rate sensor is connected to the flow path portion so that the flow rate of the fluid passing through the flow path portion can be detected. Any flow rate sensor can be used as the flow rate sensor, but among various flow rate sensors, it has a conduit forming a part of the flow path portion as shown in FIG. 3, and the fluid in the conduit is provided. A flow rate sensor configured to output an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the device as a detection result can be preferably used.

In this case, in order to more accurately detect the fluid passing through the flow path portion, it is preferable that the flow path portion of the bag member and the conduit of the flow rate sensor are connected in a state of maintaining airtightness. In order to make the connection between the two more convenient and reliable, it is preferable that the flow path portion has a tubular portion integrally extending from the bag member, and the conduit of the flow rate sensor is connected to this tubular portion. ..

The fluid to be detected may be a gas or a liquid. Specifically, from the viewpoint of easy handling, air can be used as the gas and water can be used as the liquid. When air is used as the fluid, the flow path portion of the bag member may be open. Further, although it can be applied to both the case where a gas is used as the fluid and the case where a liquid is used, the detector further has a second bag member connected to the flow path portion, and the bag member and the flow path portion. And the second bag member can also be made to form one closed space. The second bag member is configured to have flexibility and airtightness like the bag member.

The bag member is held in the controller body in an inflated state in the initial state, which is the state before the operation member is operated, and the operation member responds to the operation amount (movement amount) by being operated. The bag member is contracted. As the operating member, as with the operating member used in a general hand controller, either a lever type that slides with respect to the controller body or a button type that is pushed against the controller body can be applied.

According to the hand controller configured as described above, when the operating member is operated while the bag member is filled with the fluid, the fluid in the bag member is discharged through the flow path portion according to the amount of the operation. Will be done. At this time, the movement of the fluid in the flow path portion is detected by the flow rate sensor, and an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the fluid is transmitted to the injection control unit of the chemical solution injection device as a detection result. The injection control unit controls the operation of the piston drive mechanism so that the piston drive mechanism advances according to the detection result transmitted from the flow sensor. The flow rate sensor detects the amount of movement of the fluid during that period at regular time intervals, so that the chemical solution can be injected at a speed and amount according to the operation of the operating member.

After the injection operation of the drug solution is completed, the injection control unit retracts the piston drive mechanism to the original position, for example, the standby position for the next injection. In addition, the bag member is also returned to the original inflated initial state. The retreat of the piston drive mechanism can be automatically performed by the control of the injection control unit after the injection operation of the chemical solution is completed. Alternatively, when the bag member returns to the initial state, the flow rate of the fluid toward the inside of the bag member is detected by the flow rate sensor. Therefore, the piston drive mechanism is controlled by the injection control unit by the amount corresponding to the detected flow rate. Can also be set back.

If the bag member is made of, for example, an elastic material, it can be returned to the initial state by the elastic force of the bag member itself after the injection operation is completed. Alternatively, the bag member may be configured so that the bag member returns to the initial state by returning the operating member to the original position.

As described above, the present specification also discloses the controller device described below. That is,
A controller device that controls the operation of a drive mechanism that injects a chemical solution filled in a container.
An operating member that can be moved by the operation of the operator,
A bag member provided so as to contract according to the amount of movement of the operating member, and
The flow path portion connected to the bag member and
A flow rate sensor having a conduit forming a part of the flow path portion and outputting an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the fluid in the conduit as a detection result.
Controller device with.

In addition, this specification is described in this specification.
With the above controller device
A drive mechanism configured to inject the drug solution from a container filled with the drug solution, and
An injection control unit that controls the operation of the drive mechanism in response to a detection result output from the flow sensor of the controller device, and an injection control unit.
Also discloses a chemical injection device having the above.

100 Chemical injection device 101 Injection control unit 103 Input unit 104 Display unit 104b Second display unit 110 Injection head 112 Console 114 Main unit 130a, 130b Piston drive mechanism 131, 152 Presser 140 Clamper 153 Rod 164 RFID control circuit 165 Antenna 166 RFID Module 180 Ceiling arm unit 200 Injection circuit 201 1st tube 202, 203 2nd tube 202a, 203a 3rd tube 204 T-shaped connector 208 Three-way tap 210 Flow sensor 211 Pipe 212 Semiconductor module 213 Heater 214 Temperature sensor 221 4th tube 222 5 Tube 241 Mixing Device 300 Syringe Assembly 320, 350 Syringe 321 Cylinder 322 Piston 352 RFID Tag 370 Protective Cover 400 Injection Condition Setting Screen 500 Medical Image Imaging Device 503 Input Unit 504 Display Unit 510 Imaging Control Unit 520 Imaging Operation Unit 600 Adapter 700 (700a, 700b) Chemical solution bottle

Claims (17)

A chemical injection circuit used when injecting a chemical solution filled in a container.
The main flow path connecting the container and the internal circuit portion,
A branch flow path that branches from the main flow path and
A heat connected to the end of the branch flow path and provided with a conduit through which the chemical solution flowing in the branch flow path flows, and is configured to output an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the chemical solution in the conduit as a detection result. Type flow sensor and
Connected before the end of Kinetsushiki flow sensor, a chamber capacity is set in accordance with the physical quantity determined by utilizing the detection result of the thermal flow rate sensor,
Chemical injection circuit with. The chemical injection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the main flow path has a plurality of branches on the terminal side connected to the container. A chemical injection system that injects the chemical solution filled in a container.
An injection head comprising at least one drive mechanism, to which at least one container is detachably mounted and configured to inject a drug solution from the container.
A chemical injection circuit connected to the container,
An injection control unit that controls the operation of the drive mechanism,
Have,
The chemical injection circuit is
The main flow path connecting the container and the internal circuit portion,
A branch flow path that branches from the main flow path and
A thermal flow sensor provided with a conduit through which the chemical solution flowing in the branch flow path flows, and configured to output an electric signal corresponding to the movement of the chemical solution in the conduit as a detection result.
With the chamber
Have,
The thermal flow sensor is connected to the end of the branch flow path and
The chamber, before being connected to the end of Kinetsushiki flow sensor, capacitance according to a physical quantity obtained by using the detection result of the thermal flow rate sensor is Ru is set,
Chemical injection system. The chemical injection system according to claim 3 , wherein the injection control unit has a pressure calculation function for calculating a pressure using a detection result output from the thermal flow rate sensor. The chemical injection system according to claim 3 , wherein the injection control unit has a determination function of determining that an abnormality has occurred in the chemical injection circuit using the detection result output from the thermal flow rate sensor. The chemical injection system according to claim 5 , wherein the determination function includes an injection circuit tip position determination function for determining the tip position of the chemical injection circuit using the detection result output from the thermal flow sensor. The drug solution injection system according to claim 5 , wherein the determination function includes a leakage determination function for determining that an extravasation of a drug has occurred using a detection result output from the thermal flow sensor. The chemical injection system according to claim 5 , wherein the determination function includes a kink determination function for determining that a kink has occurred in the chemical injection circuit using the detection result output from the thermal flow rate sensor. The chemical injection system according to any one of claims 3 to 8 , wherein the main flow path has a plurality of branches on the terminal side connected to the container. The injection control unit uses the detection result output from the thermal flow sensor to determine whether the injection head is in a posture in which the tip of the container is directed upward or downward. The drug solution injection system according to claim 3 , which has a posture determination function. The chemical injection system according to claim 3 , wherein the injection control unit has a head vertical movement determination function that determines the vertical movement of the injection head using the detection result output from the thermal flow sensor. When the movement of the chemical solution is detected by the thermal flow sensor after the operation of the drive mechanism is stopped, the injection control unit causes the drive mechanism to be sucked into the container in the injection circuit. The drug solution injection system according to claim 4, which is operated. A chemical injection system that injects the chemical solution filled in a container.
An injection head comprising at least one drive mechanism, to which at least one container is detachably mounted and configured to inject a drug solution from the container.
A chemical injection circuit connected to the container,
An injection control unit that controls the operation of the drive mechanism,
Have,
The chemical injection circuit is
A tube unit having at least one tube, one tip and at least one end,
At least one thermal flow rate sensor arranged between the tip and the end of the tube unit, provided with a conduit through which the drug solution flows in the tube, and responds to the movement of the drug solution in the conduit. A thermal flow sensor configured to output an electrical signal to the injection control unit as a detection result,
Have,
The injection control unit uses the detection result output from the thermal flow sensor to determine whether the injection head is in a posture in which the tip of the container is directed upward or downward. A chemical injection system with a posture judgment function. A chemical injection system that injects the chemical solution filled in a container.
An injection head comprising at least one drive mechanism, to which at least one container is detachably mounted and configured to inject a drug solution from the container.
A chemical injection circuit connected to the container,
An injection control unit that controls the operation of the drive mechanism,
Have,
The chemical injection circuit is
A tube unit having at least one tube, one tip and at least one end,
At least one thermal flow rate sensor arranged between the tip and the end of the tube unit, provided with a conduit through which the drug solution flows in the tube, and responds to the movement of the drug solution in the conduit. A thermal flow sensor configured to output an electrical signal to the injection control unit as a detection result,
Have,
The injection control unit is a chemical injection system having a head vertical movement determining function that determines the vertical movement of the injection head using the detection result output from the thermal flow sensor. A chemical injection system that injects the chemical solution filled in a container.
An injection head comprising at least one drive mechanism, to which at least one container is detachably mounted and configured to inject a drug solution from the container.
A chemical injection circuit connected to the container,
An injection control unit that controls the operation of the drive mechanism,
Have,
The chemical injection circuit is
A tube unit having at least one tube, one tip and at least one end,
At least one thermal flow rate sensor arranged between the tip and the end of the tube unit, provided with a conduit through which the drug solution flows in the tube, and responds to the movement of the drug solution in the conduit. A thermal flow sensor configured to output an electrical signal to the injection control unit as a detection result,
Have,
The injection control unit has a pressure calculation function for calculating pressure using the detection result output from the thermal flow sensor.
When the movement of the chemical solution is detected by the thermal flow rate sensor after the operation of the drive mechanism is stopped, the injection control unit causes the drive mechanism in a direction of sucking the chemical solution in the injection circuit into the container. A chemical injection system that operates. The drug solution injection system according to any one of claims 3 to 15 , further comprising at least one said container. The drug solution injection system according to any one of claims 3 to 16.
A medical image imaging device that acquires a medical image from a subject who has been injected with the drug solution by the drug solution injection system.
Medical imaging system with.

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