NZ742679B2 - Thermal conditioning device for an injection system - Google Patents
Thermal conditioning device for an injection system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NZ742679B2 NZ742679B2 NZ742679A NZ74267916A NZ742679B2 NZ 742679 B2 NZ742679 B2 NZ 742679B2 NZ 742679 A NZ742679 A NZ 742679A NZ 74267916 A NZ74267916 A NZ 74267916A NZ 742679 B2 NZ742679 B2 NZ 742679B2
- Authority
- NZ
- New Zealand
- Prior art keywords
- injection system
- conditioning
- patient
- injection
- contrast agent
- Prior art date
Links
- 230000003750 conditioning Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 106
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 105
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 103
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 63
- 239000002872 contrast media Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 53
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 24
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 75
- FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M sodium chloride Chemical compound [Na+].[Cl-] FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims description 18
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- 238000002591 computed tomography Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000003384 imaging method Methods 0.000 description 4
- XQZXYNRDCRIARQ-LURJTMIESA-N iopamidol Chemical compound C[C@H](O)C(=O)NC1=C(I)C(C(=O)NC(CO)CO)=C(I)C(C(=O)NC(CO)CO)=C1I XQZXYNRDCRIARQ-LURJTMIESA-N 0.000 description 4
- 239000004417 polycarbonate Substances 0.000 description 4
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- 230000036760 body temperature Effects 0.000 description 2
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- WQZGKKKJIJFFOK-VFUOTHLCSA-N β-D-glucose Chemical compound OC[C@H]1O[C@@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@@H]1O WQZGKKKJIJFFOK-VFUOTHLCSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 210000004204 Blood Vessels Anatomy 0.000 description 1
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- WQZGKKKJIJFFOK-GASJEMHNSA-N D-Glucose Natural products OC[C@H]1OC(O)[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@@H]1O WQZGKKKJIJFFOK-GASJEMHNSA-N 0.000 description 1
- YVPYQUNUQOZFHG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Diatrizoic acid Chemical compound CC(=O)NC1=C(I)C(NC(C)=O)=C(I)C(C(O)=O)=C1I YVPYQUNUQOZFHG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052688 Gadolinium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- NTHXOOBQLCIOLC-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iohexol Chemical compound OCC(O)CN(C(=O)C)C1=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C1I NTHXOOBQLCIOLC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229960002603 Iopromide Drugs 0.000 description 1
- DGAIEPBNLOQYER-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iopromide Chemical compound COCC(=O)NC1=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C(I)C(C(=O)N(C)CC(O)CO)=C1I DGAIEPBNLOQYER-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229940029407 Ioxaglate Drugs 0.000 description 1
- TYYBFXNZMFNZJT-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ioxaglic acid Chemical compound CNC(=O)C1=C(I)C(N(C)C(C)=O)=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(=O)NC=2C(=C(C(=O)NCCO)C(I)=C(C(O)=O)C=2I)I)=C1I TYYBFXNZMFNZJT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- UUMLTINZBQPNGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ioxilan Chemical compound OCC(O)CN(C(=O)C)C1=C(I)C(C(=O)NCCO)=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C1I UUMLTINZBQPNGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
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- NBQNWMBBSKPBAY-UHFFFAOYSA-N iodixanol Chemical compound IC=1C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C(I)C=1N(C(=O)C)CC(O)CN(C(C)=O)C1=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C(I)C(C(=O)NCC(O)CO)=C1I NBQNWMBBSKPBAY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
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Abstract
The injection of fluids into patients is commonplace in several medical procedures. For example, a contrast agent may be injected to enhance contrast of body features in scan examinations. An injection system is usually used to pressurise and inject the contrast agent into the patient under predetermined injection conditions. Since contrast agents typically have a relatively high viscosity, the viscosity of the contrast agent may adversely affect its correct injection in the patient and requires the application of relatively high pressure which may be uncomfortable for the patient. The viscosity be reduced by increasing temperature of the contrast agent such as by pre-warming before injection using dedicated equipment separated from the injection system. However, the contrast agent cools quickly and some injection systems are unable to maintain the target temperature of the contrast agent for the entire scan examination. A solution for injecting one or more fluids into a patient is proposed. An injection system comprises one or more supply stations each one for supplying one of the fluids to be injected from a container, where at least one of the supply stations comprises housing means defining a chamber for housing the container, the chamber having a connection port for connecting the container to a delivery arrangement for delivering the fluid to the patient, and a conditioning device for thermally conditioning the fluid in the chamber. The conditioning device comprises a first conditioning element arranged around the connection port and a second conditioning element extending transversally to the first conditioning element. The use of first and second conditioning elements significantly improves performance of the injection system as it allows medical fluid to be maintained at the target temperature efficiently. mined injection conditions. Since contrast agents typically have a relatively high viscosity, the viscosity of the contrast agent may adversely affect its correct injection in the patient and requires the application of relatively high pressure which may be uncomfortable for the patient. The viscosity be reduced by increasing temperature of the contrast agent such as by pre-warming before injection using dedicated equipment separated from the injection system. However, the contrast agent cools quickly and some injection systems are unable to maintain the target temperature of the contrast agent for the entire scan examination. A solution for injecting one or more fluids into a patient is proposed. An injection system comprises one or more supply stations each one for supplying one of the fluids to be injected from a container, where at least one of the supply stations comprises housing means defining a chamber for housing the container, the chamber having a connection port for connecting the container to a delivery arrangement for delivering the fluid to the patient, and a conditioning device for thermally conditioning the fluid in the chamber. The conditioning device comprises a first conditioning element arranged around the connection port and a second conditioning element extending transversally to the first conditioning element. The use of first and second conditioning elements significantly improves performance of the injection system as it allows medical fluid to be maintained at the target temperature efficiently.
Description
THERMAL CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR AN INJECTION SYSTEM
Technical field
The present disclosure relates to the field of medical equipment. More
specifically, this disclosure relates to injection systems.
Background art
The background of the present disclosure is hereinafter introduced with the
discussion of techniques relating to its context. However, even when this discussion
refers to documents, acts, artifacts and the like, it does not suggest or represent that
the discussed techniques are part of the prior art or are common general knowledge
in the field relevant to the present disclosure.
The injection of fluids into patients is commonplace in several medical
procedures. For example, a contrast agent (or contrast medium) may be injected,
possibly along with a saline solution, to enhance contrast of target (body) features
(for example, human body’s structures or organs) within the patients in scan
examinations thereof. Particularly, in imaging applications (wherein a visual
representation of the interior of the patients is created in a non-invasive way without
turning to surgery techniques) the use of the contrast agent makes the target features
more conspicuous. As a result, target features that would otherwise be less
distinguishable from other nearby features (for example, surrounding tissues) are
highlighted. This significantly facilitates the task of clinicians in diagnostic
applications, and particularly the identification and/or characterization of lesions, the
monitoring of their evolution or response to medical treatments. For example, a
iodine-based contrast agent (such as comprising iopamidol) is commonly used in
Computed Tomography (CT) applications (such as for angiography investigations).
The contrast agent is usually injected into a blood vessel of a patient by an
(automated) injection system. The injection system pressurizes the contrast agent
(supplied from a corresponding container) and injects it into the patient under
predetermined injection conditions, for example, at a predetermined flow rate and
volume. In this way, the contrast agent may be injected in a controlled, safe and
efficient manner.
Typically, the contrast agent has a relatively high viscosity. The viscosity of
the contrast agent may adversely affect its correct injection in the patient (for
example, since occurring at a flow rate lower than it is desired); in any case, this
requires the application of a relatively high pressure (with an increase in complexity,
and then cost, of the injection system). Moreover, the injection of the contrast agent
with high viscosity and at high pressure is quite uncomfortable for the patient.
The viscosity of most contrast agents may be reduced by increasing their
temperature. Therefore, the contrast agent is generally pre-warmed before being
injected by using a dedicated equipment (for example, a warmer) separated from the
injection system. For example, contrast agents pre-warmed to a target temperature
close to the body temperature (such as 35-37 °C) may halve their viscosity. In this
way, it is easier to inject the contrast agent efficiently (for example, at the desired
flow rate) with lower pressure (and then lower complexity and cost of the injection
system) and higher comfort for the patient.
However, the contrast agent cools quite fast and then accordingly increases its
viscosity immediately before and/or during the injection. Therefore, in some
injection systems the container of the contrast agent is housed in a dedicated
chamber, which provides for a thermal insulation thereof. In any case, the inevitable
heat loss does not allow maintaining the target temperature of the contrast agent for
the entire scan examination (i.e., an imaging procedure).
In order to mitigate the cooling of the contrast agent, some injection systems
are provided with a heating device that is controlled to warm the contrast agent to be
injected, so as to maintain it at the target temperature during the whole scan
examination. For example, US-B-9101705 proposes a bulk fluid heating system in
operative connection with the container and an inline, real time heating system in
operative connection with the fluid path. Moreover, US-B-8463362 proposes a bulk
fluid container holder module including one or more resistive elements disposed
along one or more surfaces of the container holders. The container holders may
cradle bottles inserted therein (with surfaces of the container holders corresponding
to portions of the shape of the bottles), resulting in a contact area that may aid the
transfer of heat from the container holders to the bottles.
Alternatively, the heating device may be implemented by resistive elements
that are embedded in a protective cover of the chamber housing the container of the
contrast agent or in a vertical plate arranged therein.
However, the performance of these configurations is not completely
satisfactory; moreover, they require a complete redesign of the injection system.
Document US 2,470,481 discloses a fluid heater for containers of intravenous
injections of glucose or saline solutions, and blood plasma. The heater comprises
spaced walls with heating elements there between. A heat transfer element connects
with a thermostat and the heating elements are controlled by the thermostat to
maintain the temperature at the proper set level.
Summary
A simplified summary of the present disclosure is herein presented in order to
provide a basic understanding thereof; however, the sole purpose of this summary is
to introduce some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to its
following more detailed description, and it is not to be interpreted as an identification
of its key elements nor as a delineation of its scope.
In general terms, the present disclosure is based on the idea of using two
thermal conditioning elements (i.e. two heating elements).
Particularly, an injection system is described herein wherein in at least one
supply station a conditioning device (i.e. a heating device, for thermally conditioning
a fluid in a corresponding chamber) is present and it comprises a first conditioning
element (i.e. a first heating element, which is arranged around a connection port for
connecting a container of the fluid) and a second conditioning element (i.e. a second
heating element, which extends transversally to the first conditioning element).
A corresponding method for operating said injection system is also described
herein.
The present invention provides an injection system for injecting one or more
fluids into a patient, the injection system comprising one or more supply stations
each one for supplying one of the fluids to be injected from a container, wherein at
least one of the supply stations comprises: housing means defining a chamber for
housing the container, the chamber having a connection port for connecting the
container to a delivery arrangement for delivering the fluid to the patient, and a
conditioning device for thermally conditioning the fluid in the chamber, wherein the
conditioning device comprises a first conditioning element arranged around the
connection port and a second conditioning element extending transversally to the
first conditioning element.
More specifically, one or more aspects of the present disclosure are set out in
the independent claims and advantageous features thereof are set out in the
dependent claims, with the wording of all the claims that is herein incorporated
verbatim by reference (with any advantageous feature provided with reference to any
specific aspect that applies mutatis mutandis to every other aspect).
Brief description of the drawings
The solution of the present disclosure, as well as further features and the
advantages thereof, will be best understood with reference to the following detailed
description thereof, given purely by way of a non-restrictive indication, to be read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings (wherein, for the sake of simplicity,
corresponding elements are denoted with equal or similar references and their
explanation is not repeated, and the name of each entity is generally used to denote
both its type and its attributes, such as value, content and representation). In this
respect, it is expressly intended that the figures are not necessary drawn to scale
(with some details that may be exaggerated and/or simplified) and that, unless
otherwise indicated, they are merely used to illustrate the structures and procedures
described herein conceptually. Particularly:
shows a pictorial representation in partially exploded view of an
injection system wherein the solution according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure (not shown in the figure) may be applied,
shows a pictorial representation of a particular of an injection system
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,
- show a pictorial representation in top view and in bottom
view, respectively, of a heating device according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure,
show a pictorial representation of a heating element according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure,
show a pictorial representation of another heating element according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure, and
shows an exemplary installation of the heating device according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
Detailed description
With reference in particular to a pictorial representation in partial
exploded view is shown of an injection system 100 wherein the solution according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure (not shown in the figure) may be applied.
The injection system 100 is used to inject one or more medical fluids into a
patient (not shown in the figure); particularly, the injection system 100 is an
(automatic) contrast agent and saline solution (syringe-less) injector that is used by
clinicians to perform scan examinations (for example, in radiography applications
like CT applications).
The injection system 100 comprises a (left) supply station 105a, a (right)
supply station 105b and a (front) supply station 105c for supplying the medical fluids
to be injected from corresponding containers. Particularly, the supply station 105a
and the supply station 105b supply a medical fluid from a bottle 110a and from a
bottle 110b, respectively (for example, made of glass or rigid plastic), whereas the
supply station 105c supplies a medical fluid from a pouch 110c (for example, made
of soft plastic). The supply stations 105a,105b may be used to supply one or more
contrast agents (to enhance contrast of specific body features within the patient) or a
contrast agent and a saline solution (comprising a physiological or isotonic solution),
whereas the supply station 105c may be used to supply the saline solution. For
example, in CT applications the contrast agent may be a iodine-based contrast agent
comprising diatrizoate, ioxaglate, iopamidol, iohexol, ioxilan, iopromide or
iodixanol, and the saline solution may be sodium chloride. An example of a
commercial contrast agent comprising iopamidol is ISOVUE manufactured by
Bracco Diagnostics Inc. (trademarks). Each bottle 110a,110b may contain a single or
multiple dose (for example, 50-500 ml) of different contrast agents (to be supplied in
a predetermined sequence) or of the same contrast agent (to be supplied in succession
to increase the duration of the scan examination). The pouch 110c generally contains
a bulk of saline (for example, 100-1,000 ml) to be supplied before (pre-flush), after
(post-flush) or between (interphase) injections of the contrast agent, or alternatively
in rapid alternate succession with the contrast agent (to obtain a mixing of the
contrast agent and the saline solution within an organ of the patient, for example, the
heart). Alternatively, the supply stations 105a and 105b may be used to supply a
contrast agent and a saline solution, respectively (without the use of the supply
station 105c).
More specifically, each supply station 105a,105b (respectively) comprises a
bottle holder 115a,115b for the bottle 110a,110b. A protective cover 120a,120b is
mounted on the bottle holder 115a,115b to cover the bottle 110a,110b when it is held
thereon, thereby defining a closed chamber for housing the bottle 110a,110b. The
bottle holder 115a,115b in combination with the protective cover 120a,120b defines
a housing means for receiving the bottle 110a,110b. The bottle holder 115a,115b and
the protective cover 120a,120b protect the bottle 110a,110b from external accidental
shocks. Moreover, they are made of a thermally insulating material (for example,
polycarbonate) to reduce heat losses, thereby helping to maintain warm (for example,
at about the body temperature) the medical fluid contained in the bottle 110a,110b. In
fact, the protective cover 120a,120b associated to the respective bottle holder
115a,115b defines a closed chamber which is separated from the external
environment and which thermally insulates the bottle 110a,110b from the external
environment. The supply station 105c instead simply comprises a hook 125c for
hanging the pouch 110c.
A delivery arrangement creates a completely closed fluid pathway for
delivering the medical fluids from the containers 110a,110b,110c to the patient.
For this purpose, in each supply station 105a,105b a bottle connector
130a,130b is arranged in a connection port 132a,132b of the bottle holder 115a,115b.
The bottle connector 130a,130b comprises a spike for connecting to the bottle
110a,110b and a connection element (for example, a septum or a male luer lock
fitting) in fluid connection with the spike. The spike and the connection element are
located at opposite longitudinal ends of the bottle connector 130a,130b. Typically,
the bottle connector 130a,130b also comprises a filtering unit (not shown in the
figure) between its spike and connection element. The bottle connector 130a,130b is
a disposable element for use with a single bottle 110a,110b (for example, with the
spike that breaks off and remains inside the bottle 110a,110b when the bottle
connector 130a,130b is removed to prevent any accidental re-use thereof).
A transfer set 135 connects all the supply stations 105a,105b,105c to a
pressurizing unit 140 for transferring the corresponding medical fluids from the
containers 110a,110b,110c to the pressurizing unit 140. The transfer set 135
comprises a transfer line for each supply station 105a,105b,105c. The transfer line of
each supply station 105a,105b comprises a flexible tube 141a,141b that is provided
(at a distal end thereof with respect to the pressurizing unit 140) with a reservoir (or
drip chamber) 142a,142b and a connection element 143a,143b for mating with the
connection element of the bottle connector 130a,130b. For example, the connection
element 143a,143b is a spike in case the connection element of the bottle connector
130a,130b is a septum, or the connection element 143a,143b is a female luer lock
fitting in case the connection element of the bottle connector 130a,130b is a male
luer fitting. The reservoir 142a,142b and the connection element 143a,143b are
arranged inside the bottle holder 115a,115b. The transfer line of the supply station
105c comprises a flexible tube 141c that is provided (at a distal end thereof with
respect to the pressurizing unit 140) with a reservoir (or drip chamber) 142c and a
spike 143c for connecting to the pouch 110c. All the flexible tubes 141a,141b,141c
are coupled (at their proximal ends with respect to the pressurizing unit 140) with a
T-connector 144, which comprises a plug for insertion in a corresponding port of the
pressurizing unit 140. The transfer set 135 is a disposable element to be changed
periodically (for example, every 12 hours).
The pressurizing unit 140 comprises an electric motor (not visible in the
figure) of a peristaltic pump, which is used to pressurize the medical fluids (received
from the containers 105a,105b,105c via the transfer set 135) for their injection into
the patient (for example, up to a pressure of 8 bar or at a flow rate from 0.5 to 9.9
ml/s).
A delivery set 145 connects the pressurizing unit 140 to the patient for
delivering the (pressurized) medical fluids thereto. The delivery set 145 comprises a
delivery line made of a flexible tube 146, which is provided (at a distal end thereof
with respect to the patient) with the peristaltic pump, denoted with the reference 147,
to be introduced into a dedicated port provided in the pressurizing unit 140 and also
to be put in fluid communication with the T-connector 144. The peristaltic pump 147
houses a rotor having a plurality of squeezing wheels, among which a corresponding
portion of the flexible tube 146 is inserted. When the delivery set 145 is of single use
type (not shown in the figure) for use by a single patient, the flexible tube is longer
(than the flexible tube 146 shown in the figure) and it is provided (at a proximal end
thereof with respect to the patient) with a connection element for mating with a
connection element (for example, a plug) of a peripheral catheter (not shown in the
figure), which is inserted through the skin into a peripheral vein of the patient.
Instead, when the delivery set 145 is of multiple use type (as shown in the figure) for
use by multiple patients, the flexible tube 146 is shorter and it is provided at the
proximal end thereof with a connection element 148 for mating with a connection
element 150 of an additional patient line made of a (longer) flexible tube 151 (only
partially shown in the figure), which in turn ends with a connection element 152 for
mating with the connection element of the peripheral catheter. The delivery set 145 is
a disposable element, which in case of single use is for use entirely with a single
patient and in case of multiple use is to be changed periodically (for example, every
12 hours) but with the patient line 150-152 for use with a single patient only.
A control unit 155 controls operation of the injection system 100. For
example, the control unit 155 comprises a (main PCB) board with a microprocessor,
a RAM that is used as a working memory by the microprocessor and a flash
E PROM that stores information to be preserved even when a power supply is off
(particularly, a control program of the injection system 100). Moreover, the control
unit 155 comprises a touch-screen and several buttons, which are used by an operator
to interact with it.
The injection system 100 is supported by a stand 160. The stand 160 is
provided with wheels to facilitate moving the injection system 100; moreover, the
wheels have a foot brake to secure the injection system 100 in position.
In operation, for each scan examination to be performed, the operator
positions the injection system 100 close to the patient and then turns it on. If it has
not already been done, the operator installs the transfer set 135 by inserting each
reservoir 142a,142b and connection element 143a,143b into the corresponding bottle
holder 115a,115b (across a flap thereof) and releasably blocking them therein (for
example, through a snap fitting mechanism). When the pouch 110c (containing the
saline solution) is not installed, the control unit 155 displays a message on its screen
prompting the operator to do so. If the pouch 110c is to be used, the operator pierces
a seal of the pouch 110c with the spike 143c, hangs the pouch 110c from the hook
125c and fills the reservoir 142c completely with the saline solution (by repeatedly
squeezing it). At this point, the operator programs the control unit 155 by entering
specific information relating to the saline solution of the pouch 110c (for example, its
brand name and volume). Otherwise, if the pouch 110c is not used, the operator
enters a corresponding command to the control unit 155. In both cases, when the
bottle 110a (with the contrast agent) is not installed, the control unit 155 displays a
message on its screen prompting the operator to do so. In response thereto, the
operator takes the bottle 110a from a separate warmer (not shown in the figure),
wherein the bottle 110a has been pre-warmed to a target temperature; the target
temperature is set to a value high enough to allow injecting the contrast agent
efficiently (for example, at the desired flow rate) and comfortably for the patient, but
not too high to be harmful for the patient (for example, 32-37.5 °C). The operator
pierces a seal of the bottle 110a with the spike of the bottle connector 130a. The
operator then turns the bottle 110a (with the bottle connector 130a connected thereto)
up-side-down, inserts the bottle connector 130a into the connection port 132a (so as
to connect its connection element to the connection element 143a), mounts the
protective cover 120a on the bottle holder 115a (so as to safely enclose the bottle
110a) and fills the reservoir 142a completely with the contrast agent (by repeatedly
squeezing the reservoir 142a). At this point, the operator programs the control unit
155 by entering specific information relating to the contrast agent of the bottle 110a
(for example, its brand name and volume). The operator repeats the same operations,
if it is necessary, to install the bottle 110b (with the contrast agent or with the saline
solution). The control unit 155 now displays a message on its screen prompting the
operator to install the delivery set 145. In response thereto, the operator inserts the
peristaltic pump 147 into the corresponding port of the pressurizing unit 140 and
connects the peristaltic pump 147 to the T-connector 144. When the delivery set 145
is for multiple use, the operator further connects the connection element 150 of the
patient line 150-152 to the connection element 148 of the delivery line 146-148. The
operator now separately primes each transfer line 141a-143a, 141b-143b and 141c-
143c by selecting a corresponding priming function on the control unit 155, so as to
eliminate any air bubbles that are possibly present within the transfer lines 141a-
143a, 141b-143b and 141c-143c, the delivery line 146-148 and/or the (possible)
patient line 150-152. Once this priming phase has been terminated (with no air that is
sensed in the injection system 100 any longer), the operator finally connects the
connection element 152 (or the connection element of the delivery line in case of
single use) to the connection element of the peripheral catheter (already introduced
into the patient).
At this point, the operator programs the control unit 155 by entering
information relating to the scan examination (for example, a gauge of the needle of
the peripheral catheter, an injection profile comprising one or more phases each one
defined by the type, volume and flow rate of the medical fluids, possibly selected
among pre-defined injection profiles for different types of scan examinations) and
then starts the scan examination. At the end of the scan examination, the operator
turns the injection system 100 off, disconnects the delivery/patient line of the
delivery set 145 from the peripheral catheter, and then removes and discards it.
With reference now to a pictorial representation is shown of a
particular of an injection system 200 according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
The injection system 200 differs from the one described above (with respect
to for the addition of a heating device 205a and a heating device 205b in the
supply station 105a and in the supply station 105b, respectively. Each heating device
205a,205b is arranged inside the closed chamber defined by the protective cover
120a,120b mounted on the bottle holder 115a,115b to maintain the medical fluid
contained in the bottles (not shown in the figure) at the target temperature.
In the solution according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the
heating device 205a,205b comprises two distinct heating elements (for example,
implemented by corresponding resistors) that are positioned externally to the bottle
110a,110b and inside (internally to) the closed chamber defined by the housing
means, i.e. by the combination of the bottle holder 115a,115b and the respective
protective cover 120a,120b. Particularly, a first heating element 210a,210b extends
around the connection port 132a,132b, and a second heating element 215a,215b
extends transversally to the first heating element 210a,210b.
The above-described configuration of the heating device 205a,205b
significantly improves its performance; particularly, this allows maintaining the
medical fluid at the target temperature efficiently (with higher uniformity and lower
power consumption).
With reference now to -FIG-3B together, a pictorial representation is
shown in top view and in bottom view, respectively, of a heating device according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure (for the sake of simplicity, hereinafter all
the elements relating to the two supply stations will be denoted by removing the
respective suffixes “a” and “b”).
The heating device 205 comprises a stand 305 (for example, made of
polycarbonate). As described in the following, the stand 305 is configured for
mounting on the bottle holder and for mounting the protective cover (not shown in
the figure) on it, instead of on the bottle holder. For example, the stand 305
comprises a crown 310, which is shaped generically as a hollow cylinder (for
example, with a diameter of 3-5 cm, a height of 0.5-1.5 cm and a thickness of 0.5-1
cm). The crown 310 is open at its lower end, whereas it is closed at its upper end by a
flat ring 315 (for example, having a thickness of 0.5-1 cm). The ring 315 is defined
by a disk with a through-hole opened at the center thereof, which through-hole
matches the connection port of the bottle holder (for example, with a diameter of 1.5-
2.5 cm).
The first heating element 210 (only visible in ) comprises a ring 320
of electrical insulating material (for example, polycarbonate), and it is hereinafter
referred to as ring heater 210. The ring 320 is flat (i.e., with a dimension far lower
than the other ones, for example, with a thickness of 0.3-0.7 cm and a diameter of 3-
cm). The ring 320 matches the ring 315 (i.e., it is defined by a disk with a
corresponding through-hole opened at the center thereof). The ring 320 is fixed (for
example, glued) on the ring 315, and more specifically within a corresponding seat
(defined by a depression extending from an upper surface of the ring 315) so as to be
flush with it (horizontally in an operative condition). A positioning notch is formed
at an outer border of the ring 320 matching a reference tooth provided in the seat of
the ring 315 to ensure a correct alignment of the ring 320.
The second heating element 215 comprises a thin fin 325 (for example, with a
thickness of 0.3-0.7 cm) of electrical insulating material (for example,
polycarbonate), and it is hereafter referred to as fin heater 215. The fin 325 has a plan
development with a (lower) base (for example, with a length of 7-10 cm) and a
rounded, dome-shaped (upper) profile (for example, with a height ranging from 2-5
cm at the center to 0.1-0.5 cm at the ends of the base). A tab (not visible in the
figure) extends downwards at the center of the base (for example, with a height of
0.4-0.6 cm and a width of 0.6-1.0 cm). The fin 325 is curved (along its base) to
match a (circumferential) outline of the ring 320. The fin 325 is shorter than the
outline of the ring 320; therefore, the fin 325 (once curved) extends along a circular
arc subtending an angle lower than 360°, for example, equal to 220°-340°, preferably
240°-320° and still more preferably 260°-300°, such as 280°. The fin 325 is mounted
on the stand 305 (vertically in an operative condition) with its base inserted into a
corresponding groove provided in the upper surface of the ring 315 (adjacent to the
ring 320) and with its tab inserted in a corresponding seat provided in a lateral
surface of the crown 310, and then it is fixed (for example, glued) thereon.
The specific arrangement of the (ring and fin) heaters 210,215 described
above further improves their performance.
One or more temperature sensors 330 (for example, a main one and a
redundant one) are fixed on the fin 325, close to an apex thereof. For example, the
temperature sensors 330 are placed on an inner surface of the fin 325 that faces the
bottle (not shown in the figure) in an operative condition. The temperature sensors
330 are soldered at a free end of corresponding (electrically) connection tracks 335
(for example, made of copper) that extend vertically along the fin 325 on an outer
surface thereof. A cabling (or wiring) system 340 (for example, galvanically
insulated by opto-couplers to avoid ground loops) electrically connects the ring
heater 210, the fin heater 215 and the connection tracks 335 (and then the sensors
330) to an electrical connector 345.
With reference now to a pictorial representation is shown of the ring
heater 210 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
The ring heater 210 (shown in combination with the fin heater 215) comprises
a heating coil 405, which is formed by a resistor embedded in the ring 320 for
generating heat by the Joule effect. The heating coil 405 is made of an (electrical)
resistive material (for example, nickel-chrome). The heating coil 405 has a resistance
preferably of 30-200 Ω, more preferably of 50-150 Ω and still more preferably of 80-
120 Ω, such as 100 Ω. For example, the heating coil 405 is formed by a track that is
arranged in four sectors, in each one of them extending along two-way concentric
arcs. Each sector is connected to the adjacent one via a two-way radial segment. The
heating coil 405 ends (in an outer portion of two adjacent sectors) with two pads
410a and 410b, which are exposed on a lower surface of the ring 320 for connecting
the heating coil 405 electrically to the cabling system (not shown in the figure).
Therefore, the first heating element (i.e. the ring heater) 210 comprises a planar (i.e.
flat) arrangement of the heating coil 405 about the connection port 132a,132b. In
other words, the heating coil 405 of the first heating element 210 is arranged in a
plane which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottle holder
115a,115b (and thus also substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the
bottle 110a,110b received by the bottle holder 115a,115b). Thus the heating coil 405
is placed externally to the bottle 110a,110b and it surrounds a limited area of the
bottle external surface in proximity of the bottle neck.
With reference now to a pictorial representation is shown of the fin
heater 215 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
In this case as well, the fin heater 215 comprises a heating coil 505, which is
formed by a resistor embedded in the fin 325 for generating heat by the Joule effect.
The heating coil 505 is made of an (electrical) resistive material (for example, again
nickel-chrome). The heating coil 505 has a higher resistance, for example, equal to
preferably 2-8 times, more preferably 3-7 times and still more preferably 4-6 times,
such as 5 times the resistance of the ring heater, not shown in the figure (for
example, preferably 300-700 Ω, more preferably 400-600 Ω and still more preferably
450-550 Ω, such as 500 Ω). For example, the heating coil 505 is formed by a track
that extends along the base of the fin 325 with some peaks of decreasing height
moving towards its ends and then along two-way vertical segments, leaving a portion
of the fin 325 free in correspondence to the temperature sensors and the
corresponding connection tracks (not shown in the figure). The heating coil 505 ends
(in the tab of the fin 325) with two pads 510a and 510b, which are exposed on an
inner surface of the fin 325 for connecting the heating coil 505 electrically to the
cabling system (not shown in the figure). Therefore, the second heating element (i.e.
the fin heater) 215 comprises a curved arrangement of the heating coil 505 to
substantially match the bottle external surface, without touching it (i.e. while being
spaced apart from it). The heating coil 505 is thus placed externally to the bottle
110a,110b and it is positioned at a given distance therefrom.
The above-described structure of the (ring and fin) heaters is simple, but at
the same time very effective.
With reference now to an exemplary installation is shown of the
heating device 205 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
The protective cover 120 is configured for mounting on the bottle holder 115
of a standard injection system (without the heating device 205). For example, the
bottle holder 115 and the protective cover 120 implement a bayonet-type mount.
Particularly, the bottle holder 115 comprises an enclosure 605 (for example, with a
generically cylindrical shape) having a lateral opening for receiving and housing the
reservoir and the connection element of the corresponding transfer line (not shown in
the figure). A through-hole is formed on top of the enclosure 605 to define the
connection port 132 for receiving the corresponding bottle connector (not shown in
the figure). A cap 610 is mounted (for example, glued or screwed) on top of the
enclosure 605. The cap 610 has a through-hole matching the one of the enclosure
605, and it is provided with a male bayonet connector 615. The male bayonet
connector 615 comprises a plurality of tabs (for example, four) that project radially
outwards; one of the tabs is provided with a stop tooth that projects downwards from
an end thereof. The protective cover 120 comprises a matching female bayonet
connector 620 integral thereto. The female bayonet connector 620 comprises the
same number of tabs (matching the ones of the male bayonet connector 615) that
project radially inwards from a free (lower) border of the protective cover 120. The
clearings that are formed between each pair of adjacent tabs of the protective cover
120 define corresponding receptors for the tabs of the male bayonet connector 615.
The female bayonet connector 620 further comprises a rim that projects radially
inwards along the entire protective cover 120 at an inner position. The rim is spaced
apart from the tabs by a distance corresponding to a thickness of the tabs of the male
bayonet connector 615, so as to define a gap for receiving them.
The protective cover 120 may be mounted on the bottle holder 115 by placing
the protective cover 120 over the bottle holder 115, aligning the receptors of the
female bayonet connector 620 with the tabs of the male bayonet connector 615
(dismount condition) and translating (lowering) the protective cover 120 with the
receptors of the female bayonet connector 620 that slide along the tabs of the male
bayonet connector 615 until the latter ones abut against the rim of the female bayonet
connector 620 (interference condition). At this point, the protective cover 120 is
rotated (screwed), for example, by 45°, thereby causing the tabs of the male bayonet
connector 615 to enter the gaps of the female bayonet connector 620, until the stop
tooth of the male bayonet connector 615 (arranged upstream the corresponding tab
along a rotation direction) abuts against one of the tabs of the female bayonet
connector 620 (mount condition). The same operations are repeated in reverse order
to remove the protective cover 120 from the bottle holder 115.
In the solution according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the
heating device 205 replaces the cap 610. For this purpose, the stand 305 is provided
with a plurality of pegs 622, for example, three (only two visible in the figure) that
project downwards from the ring 315. The pegs 622 match corresponding holes 625
that are already provided on top of the enclosure 605 (for receiving similar pegs of
the cap 610, not visible in the figure). Moreover, a window 630 is opened at the top
of the enclosure 605 for inserting the electrical connector 345 and a corresponding
portion of the cabling system 340. The crown 310 is provided with a male bayonet
connector 635 substantially the same as the male bayonet connector 615 (i.e.,
comprising the same number of tabs that project radially outwards, with one of the
tabs that is provided with a stop tooth that projects downwards from an end thereof).
The heating device 205 is mounted on the enclosure 605 (without the cap 610) by
passing the electrical connecter 345 through the window 630 and then plugging it
into a corresponding connector (not shown in the figure), which is (electrically)
connected to a controller 640 of the heating device 205 (for example, housed in the
control unit of the injection system, not shown in the figure). For example, the
controller 640 is implemented with a (daughter PCB) board mounting a
microprocessor, a RAM that is used as a working memory by the microprocessor and
a flash E PROM that stores information to be preserved even when a power supply is
off (particularly, a control program of the heating device 205). At this point, the
heating device 205 is fitted on top of the enclosure 605 and fixed thereto (for
example, glued or screwed as above). As a result, the protective cover 120 may be
mounted on the heating device 205 exactly in the same way as on the bottle holder
115 with the cap 610 (with the female bayonet connector 620 that now mates with
the male bayonet connector 635).
In this way, the injection system with the heating device 205 stays compatible
with previous injection systems without it.
In operation, the controller 640 supplies the heating device 205 (for example,
at 20-40V). The controller 640 continually monitors the temperatures measured by
both the main temperature sensor and the redundant temperature sensor of the
heating device 205 (for safety reasons). If the difference between the measured
temperatures exceeds a threshold value (for example, 0.3-1 °C) for two (or more)
consecutive measures (to improve robustness), the controller 640 enters an error
condition (for example, by sending an error message to the control unit of the
injection system, causing it to stop operation of the injection system and to provide a
warning message to the operator). Otherwise, the controller 640 drives the heating
device 205 with hysteresis (to reduce a frequency of its switching). Particularly,
assuming that at the beginning the temperature measured by the main temperature
sensor is lower than the target temperature minus a delta temperature (for example,
0.5-1 2°C), the controller 640 switches the heating device on. For this purpose, the
controller 640 may control the ring heater and the fin heater either individually or
together. For example, the controller 640 may generate a (common) control signal
corresponding to the difference between the target temperature and the measured
temperature, which control signal is translated to a same PWM power signal that
directly drives both the ring heater and the fin heater. As indicated above, the
resistance of the fin heater is higher than the resistance of the ring heater, so that the
fin heater converts more electric power into heat than the ring heater does (for
example, 10-12 W and 2-4 W, respectively, when they are driven by a same current
of 0.3-0.7 mA). The difference heating provided by the ring heater and the fin heater
further improves the performance of the heating device. At the same time, the
controller 640 starts verifying whether the measured temperature exceeds the target
temperature plus the same delta temperature. As soon as this occurs, the controller
640 switches the heating device off. At this point, the controller 640 starts verifying
whether the measured temperature falls below the target temperature minus the delta
temperature. As soon as this occurs, the controller 640 switches the heating device on
again, so as to repeat the same operations continually. As a result, the temperature in
the chamber formed between the bottle holder 115 and the protective cover 120
swings around the target temperature in a range defined by the delta temperature.
Modifications
Naturally, in order to satisfy local and specific requirements, a person skilled
in the art may apply many logical and/or physical modifications and alterations to the
present disclosure. More specifically, although this disclosure has been described
with a certain degree of particularity with reference to one or more embodiments
thereof, it should be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in
the form and details as well as other embodiments are possible. Particularly, different
embodiments of the present disclosure may even be practiced without the specific
details (such as the numerical values) set forth in the preceding description to provide
a more thorough understanding thereof. Conversely, well-known features may have
been omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the description with unnecessary
particulars. Moreover, it is expressly intended that specific elements and/or method
steps described in connection with any embodiment of the present disclosure may be
incorporated in any other embodiment as a matter of general design choice. In any
case, each numerical value should be read as modified by the term about (unless
already done) and each range of numerical values should be intended as expressly
specifying any possible number along the continuum within the range (comprising its
end points). Moreover, ordinal or other qualifiers are merely used as labels to
distinguish elements with the same name but do not by themselves connote any
priority, precedence or order. The terms include, comprise, have, contain and involve
(and any forms thereof) should be intended with an open, non-exhaustive meaning
(i.e., not limited to the recited items), the terms based on, dependent on, according to,
function of (and any forms thereof) should be intended as a non-exclusive
relationship (i.e., with possible further variables involved), the term a/an should be
intended as one or more items (unless expressly indicated otherwise), and the term
means for (or any means-plus-function formulation) should be intended as any
structure adapted or configured for carrying out the relevant function.
For example, an embodiment provides an injection system. However, the
injection system may be of any type, of syringe-type as well (for example, with
another pressurizing system, with a ceiling mount for mounting it on the ceiling of an
imaging suite).
In an embodiment, the injection system is for injecting one or more fluids into
a patient. However, the fluids may be in any number and of any type (for example,
whatever medical fluid to be used in a generic medical application for diagnostic or
therapeutic purposes, such as a drug or a body fluid, or more generally to be used in
any other treatment, such as for cosmetic purposes); moreover, the fluid may be
injected in any way (for example, intra-arterially) into any (human or animal) patient.
In an embodiment, the injection system comprises one or more supply
stations each one for supplying one of the fluids to be injected from a container.
However, the injection system may comprise any number of supply stations (down to
a single one) for supplying the same or different fluids (in any combination);
moreover, the container may be of any type, either the same or different in the supply
stations (for example, bottles, bags, pouches, syringes and any combination thereof).
In an embodiment, at least one of the supply stations comprises housing
means defining a chamber for housing the container. However, the above-described
solution may be applied to any number of supply stations (from a single one to all of
them); moreover, the chamber may be of any type, shape, size and arranged at any
position (for example, enclosing the container completely or only partially, with a
hook for hanging it) and it may be defined by any structure (for example, an enclosure
with an access door).
In an embodiment, the chamber has a connection port for connecting the
container to a delivery arrangement for delivering the fluid to the patient. However,
the connection port may be of any type, shape, size and arranged at any position (for
example, a valve integral with the bottle holder); moreover, the delivery arrangement
may be of any type (for example, with individual transfer lines for each supply station,
with a delivery line ending with a needle for direct insertion into the patient).
In an embodiment, said at least one supply station comprises a conditioning
device for thermally conditioning the fluid in the chamber. However, the
conditioning device may operate in any way (for example, to heat and/or to cool the
fluid starting from any temperature, like the room temperature).
In an embodiment, the conditioning device comprises a first conditioning
element arranged around the connection port. However, the first conditioning
element may be of any type, shape and size (for example, squared) and it may be
arranged around the connection port in any way (for example, only partially
surrounding it).
In an embodiment, the conditioning device comprises a second conditioning
element extending transversally to the first conditioning element. However, the
second conditioning element may be of any type, shape and size (for example, U-
like) and it may extend transversally to the first conditioning element in any way (for
example, obliquely, completely surrounding it).
In an embodiment, the first conditioning element extends horizontally in an
operative condition of the injection system. However, the possibility of having the
first conditioning element extending in another direction is not excluded (for
example, vertically when the connection port is arranged laterally).
In an embodiment, the second conditioning element extends from a border of
the first conditioning element. However, the second conditioning element may be
arranged at any other position (either in contact with or spaced apart from the first
conditioning element).
In an embodiment, the second conditioning element extends vertically in the
operative condition of the injection system. However, the possibility of having the
second conditioning element extending in another direction is not excluded (for
example, horizontally when the connection port is arranged laterally).
In an embodiment, the first conditioning element completely surrounds the
connection port in a plan view. However, the first condition element may surround
the connection port in any way (for example, completely or only partially along its
height).
In an embodiment, the first conditioning element comprises a ring that is
formed by a disk having a through-hole matching the connection port. However, the
ring may have any thickness and it may be formed by a disk having any size and with
any through-hole matching the connection port in any way (for example, slightly
narrower or larger than it).
In an embodiment, the second conditioning element partially surrounds the
connection port. However, the second condition element may be arranged in any way
around the connection port (for example, with multiple components distributed along
its border).
In an embodiment, the second conditioning element extends along a circular
arc. However, the second conditioning element may extend along any line (for
example, with an elliptical shape).
In an embodiment, the circular arc subtends an angle of 220°-340°. However,
the circular arc may have any other extent.
In an embodiment, the second conditioning element comprises a fin having a
height decreasing from a center of the fin to each end thereof. However, the height of
the fin may decrease in any way (for example, with one or more sections at constant
height); more generally, the fin may have any other profile (even always with the
same height).
In an embodiment, the first conditioning element comprises a first heating
coil having a first resistance and the second conditioning element comprises a second
heating coil having a second resistance higher than the first resistance. However, the
heating coils may be of any type, shape and size; moreover, they may have any
resistance, in either absolute or relative terms (with any one of them lower than,
equal to or higher than the other one). More generally, any other implementation of
the heating elements is contemplated (even not based on the Joule effect).
In an embodiment, the housing means comprises a holder for holding the
container. However, the holder may be of any type, shape and size (for example,
with a mechanical lock for the container).
In an embodiment, the housing means comprises a cover for covering the
container when it is held on the holder. However, the cover may be of any type,
shape and size (for example, a cap hinged to the holder).
In an embodiment, at least one supply station comprises means for mounting
the conditioning device on the holder. However, the conditioning device may be
mounted on the holder in any way (for example, with a snap fitting), either in
addition or in alternative to its connector for the cover (which may also be
completely missing when the supply station is specifically designed for use with the
conditioning device only).
In an embodiment, the conditioning device comprises a first connector and
the cover comprises a second connector for mating with the first connector.
However, the connectors may be of any type (for example, based on one or more
clips). In any case, the cover may be the same that is used without the conditioning
device or it may also be specifically designed for use with the conditioning device.
In an embodiment, the injection system comprises means for controlling the
first conditioning element and the second conditioning element individually.
However, the conditioning elements may be controlled either individually or always
in the same way. Moreover, the control of the conditioning device may be
implemented in any way. For example, the conditioning device may be controlled by
any software program suitable to be used by any data processing or computing
system or in connection therewith (for example, directly in the central unit) thereby
configuring the system to perform the desired operations (for example, in the form of
external or resident software, firmware, or microcode). The program may be
provided on any computer readable storage medium or it may be downloaded to the
corresponding computing system in any way (for example, via a network). In any
case, the heating device may be controlled with a hardware structure (for example, a
circuity integrated in one or more chips) or with a combination of software and
hardware suitably programmed or otherwise configured.
In an embodiment, the conditioning device comprises a plurality of
temperature sensors each one for measuring a temperature in the chamber. However,
the temperature sensors may be of any type, at any position and in any number
(down to none).
In an embodiment, the injection system comprises means for detecting an
error condition according to a comparison of the measured temperatures. However,
the detection of the error condition may be implemented in any way (as above);
moreover, the error condition may be detected according to any comparison of the
measured temperatures (for example, according to a trend of their difference over
time). In any case, this feature may also be omitted at all (for example, when a single
temperature sensor is available).
In an embodiment, the injection system is for injecting the fluids into the
patient during a scan examination thereof; the fluids are one or more medical fluids
comprising a contrast agent and/or a saline solution. However, the injection system
may be used for any scan examination (for example, in MR, nuclear or ultrasound
imaging applications); moreover, the injection system may be used with any contrast
agent (for example, a barium-based contrast agent such as barium sulfate,
gadolinium, a radioisotope, a suspension of gas-filled microbubbles), any saline
solution (for example, with the addition of dextrose), any combination thereof or
more generally with any medical fluid(s).
In an embodiment, the conditioning device is a heating device for maintaining
a target temperature in the chamber. However, the control of the temperature may be
implemented in any way (as above); moreover, the target temperature may be
maintained in any way within any range around any desired value (for example, by
switching the heating device on when the measured temperature falls below the
target temperature possibly minus a delta temperature and switching the heating
device off when the measured temperature exceeds the target temperature possibly
plus the delta temperature).
An embodiment provides a conditioning device for use in the injection system
described above; the conditioning device comprises said first conditioning element
and said second conditioning element. However, the conditioning device may be put
on the market as a stand-alone product to be used with pre-existing injection systems,
as a modification (after-market) kit for application thereto or directly integrated in
(new) injection systems.
Generally, similar considerations apply if the injection system and the
conditioning device each has a different structure or comprises equivalent
components (for example, of different materials), or it has other operative
characteristics. In any case, every component thereof may be separated into more
elements, or two or more components may be combined together into a single
element; moreover, each component may be replicated to support the execution of
the corresponding operations in parallel. Moreover, unless specified otherwise, any
interaction between different components generally does not need to be continuous,
and it may be either direct or indirect through one or more intermediaries.
An embodiment provides a method for operating an injection system for
injecting one or more fluids into a patient. For at least one supply station comprised
in the injection system (for supplying one of the fluids to be injected from a
container) the method comprises housing the container in a chamber (with the
container connected to a delivery arrangement for delivering the fluid to the patient
through a connection port of the chamber) and conditioning the medical fluid
thermally in the chamber; said step of conditioning comprises conditioning the fluid
thermally by a first conditioning element arranged around the connection port and by
a second conditioning element extending transversally to the first conditioning
element.
The above-described steps only relate to a control method of the injection
system, which is completely independent of the actual injection of the fluids into the
patient; in any case, the injection may also be performed in a non-invasive manner
without any substantial physical intervention on the patient that would require
professional medical expertise or entail any health risk for the patient (for example,
intramuscularly). Therefore, this method is merely directed to the operation of the
injection system without itself providing any functional interaction with the effects
produced by the injection system on the patient.
Generally, similar considerations apply if the same solution is implemented
with an equivalent method by using similar steps with the same functions of more
steps or portions thereof, removing some steps being non-essential, or adding further
optional steps); moreover, the steps may be performed in a different order,
concurrently or in an interleaved way (at least in part).
Claims (14)
1. An injection system for injecting one or more fluids into a patient, the injection system comprising one or more supply stations each one for supplying one 5 of the fluids to be injected from a container, wherein at least one of the supply stations comprises: housing means defining a chamber for housing the container, the chamber having a connection port for connecting the container to a delivery arrangement for delivering the fluid to the patient, and 10 a conditioning device for thermally conditioning the fluid in the chamber, wherein the conditioning device comprises a first conditioning element arranged around the connection port and a second conditioning element extending transversally to the first conditioning element.
2. The injection system according to claim 1, wherein the first conditioning 15 element extends horizontally in an operative condition of the injection system and the second conditioning element extends from a border of the first conditioning element vertically in the operative condition of the injection system.
3. The injection system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first conditioning element completely surrounds the connection port in a plan view. 20
4. The injection system according to claim 3, wherein the first conditioning element comprises a ring formed by a disk having a through-hole matching the connection port.
5. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second conditioning element partially surrounds the connection port. 25
6. The injection system according to claim 5, wherein the second conditioning element extends along a circular arc subtending an angle of 220°-340°.
7. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second conditioning element comprises a fin having a height decreasing from a center of the fin to each end thereof. 30
8. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first conditioning element comprises a first heating coil having a first resistance and the second conditioning element comprises a second heating coil having a second resistance higher than the first resistance.
9. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the housing means comprises a holder for holding the container and a cover for covering 5 the container when held on the holder, and wherein at least one supply station comprises means for mounting the conditioning device on the holder, the conditioning device comprising a first connector and the cover comprising a second connector for mating with the first connector.
10. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising 10 means for controlling the first conditioning element and the second conditioning element individually.
11. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the conditioning device comprises a plurality of temperature sensors each one for measuring a temperature in the chamber, the injection system comprising means for 15 detecting an error condition according to a comparison of the measured temperatures.
12. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the injection system is for injecting the fluids into the patient during a scan examination thereof, the fluids being one or more medical fluids comprising a contrast agent and/or a saline solution. 20
13. The injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the conditioning device is a heating device for maintaining a target temperature in the chamber.
14. A conditioning device for use in the injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the conditioning device comprising said first conditioning element 25 and said second conditioning element.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP15203123 | 2015-12-30 | ||
EP15203123.3 | 2015-12-30 | ||
PCT/EP2016/082141 WO2017114718A1 (en) | 2015-12-30 | 2016-12-21 | Thermal conditioning device for an injection system |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NZ742679A NZ742679A (en) | 2021-01-29 |
NZ742679B2 true NZ742679B2 (en) | 2021-04-30 |
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