Programmable injector control
First Claim
1. A fluid injection apparatus comprising:
- at least one drive mechanism;
at least two fluid containers operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism, one fluid container containing a contrast medium and the other fluid container containing a flushing medium; and
a control device operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism;
wherein said control device is operable to;
selectively program a plurality of phases of an injection procedure to be performed, at least one phase comprising one of;
a contrast medium phase, a flushing medium phase, a pause phase and a hold phase;
thereafter store aggregate information relating to the injection procedure as performed; and
avail an operator at a future time of the aggregate information relating to the performed injection procedure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid injection arrangement, particularly involving a systematic fluid injection programming capability, in the context of patient imaging systems, in which phases of contrast medium injection and flushing medium injection can be freely and selectably ordered so as to make available to the operator and patient a vast array of possible protocols than has hitherto been essentially unattainable. Also contemplated is the use of a “hold” phase, involving an indefinite pause between phases of a protocol, in connection with such imaging systems. Further contemplated is the use of a “pause” phase in which a pause of fixed duration is pre-programmed into the protocols of MRI injector systems. Additionally contemplated is an internal stopwatch function operable to measure the duration of contrast medium propagation towards determining a scan delay, or for other purposes where such a function may be of benefit.
49 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A fluid injection apparatus comprising:
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at least one drive mechanism;
at least two fluid containers operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism, one fluid container containing a contrast medium and the other fluid container containing a flushing medium; and
a control device operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism;
wherein said control device is operable to;
selectively program a plurality of phases of an injection procedure to be performed, at least one phase comprising one of;
a contrast medium phase, a flushing medium phase, a pause phase and a hold phase;
thereafter store aggregate information relating to the injection procedure as performed; and
avail an operator at a future time of the aggregate information relating to the performed injection procedure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A fluid injection apparatus comprising:
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at least one drive mechanism;
at least two fluid containers operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism, one fluid container containing a contrast medium and the other fluid container containing a flushing medium; and
a control device operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism;
wherein said control device is operable to selectively program a plurality of phases of an injection procedure;
at least one phase comprising one of;
a contrast medium phase and a flushing medium phase; and
an arrangement for providing an internal stopwatch function. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A fluid injection apparatus comprising:
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at least one drive mechanism;
at least two fluid containers operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism, one fluid container containing a contrast medium and the other fluid container containing a flushing medium; and
a control device operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism;
wherein said control device is operable to selectively program a plurality of phases of an injection procedure;
at least one phase comprising one of;
a contrast medium phase and a flushing medium phase;
at least one phase comprising a pause phase. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of programming an injector, comprising:
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providing an arrangement for providing an internal stopwatch function;
programming a contrast medium phase;
injecting the contrast medium;
activating the arrangement for providing an internal stopwatch function to count time period increments upon initiating said injecting step;
ascertaining the arrival of contrast medium at a predetermined location of the body of a patient;
determining, with the arrangement for providing an internal stopwatch function, the elapsed time between initiation of said injecting step and the arrival of contrast medium at the predetermined location; and
thereafter programming, for a subsequent injection of contrast medium, a delay period based on the elapsed time determined in said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of programming an injection procedure, comprising:
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selectably programming a first phase of an injection procedure;
selectably programming a second phase of an injection procedure; and
programming a pause phase to occur between said first and second phases, wherein said pause phase corresponds to an inject delay.
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32. A fluid injection apparatus comprising:
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at least one drive mechanism;
at least two fluid containers operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism, one fluid container containing a contrast medium and the other fluid container containing a flushing medium; and
a control device operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism;
wherein said control device is operable to;
selectively program an injection procedure to be performed;
thereafter store aggregate information relating to the injection procedure as performed, the aggregate information including at least quantitative information relating to at least one of;
a scan delay and an inject delay; and
avail an operator at a future time of the aggregate information relating to the performed injection procedure. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A fluid injection apparatus comprising:
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at least one drive mechanism;
at least two fluid containers operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism, one fluid container containing a contrast medium and the other fluid container containing a flushing medium; and
a control device operably associated with the at least one drive mechanism;
wherein said control device is operable to selectively program an injection procedure comprising a pause phase, the pause phase corresponding to an inject delay. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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Specification