Powerhead of a power injection system

• US 20060079766A1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebel Flarsheim Co LLC (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Neer, Charles S., Small, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,663,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/432
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1785 comprising radioactive shield means syringe shields or holders for storage of radioactive sources G21F5/018

Abstract

A contrast media injection system includes detects the absolute position of the syringe ram using a non-contact sensor. A series of magnets and Hall-Effect sensors may be used or an opto-reflective system. Illuminated knobs that are connected to the drive mechanism for the syringe ram rotate with the drive and provide visual feedback on operation through the illumination. Analog Hall-Effect sensors are used to determine the presence or absence of magnets that identify the type of faceplate being used. The faceplates include control electronics, connected to the powerhead through connectors, which may be interchangeably used by the two faceplates. The faceplate electronics include detectors for automatically detecting the capacity of pre-filled syringes. Additional features include using historical data to provide optimum pressure limit values during an injection protocol, a removable memory device for storing and transferring information such as injection protocols and injector statistics, and password protection of such protocols.

Claims

1. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a faceplate mounting region at which magnetic sources of a faceplate may be located;

a Hall effect sensor associated with a location of said faceplate mounting region at which a magnetic source of a faceplate may be located; and

an analog circuit for measuring an analog signal representative of the magnetic flux impinging upon said Hall effect sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the faceplate mounting region is configured to attach to a faceplate having one or more magnets associated with a one of the magnetic conductor such that a presence, absence and/or polarity of at least one magnet on the faceplate is detected by a respective Hall effect sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory configured to store for a plurality of faceplates, a respective state representing an analog signal representative of magnetic flux impinging on said Hall effect sensor.

4. Within a contrast media injector system, a method comprising the steps of:

attaching a faceplate to a powerhead of a contrast media injector system, wherein the faceplate includes one or more magnets;

acquiring with a Hall effect sensor a first analog signal representative of magnetic flux impinging on said Hall effect sensor with the faceplate attached;

acquiring with a Hall effect sensor a second analog signal representative of magnetic flux impinging on said Hall effect sensor with the faceplate detached; and

storing a signature for the faceplate based on the plurality of first and second signals.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the signature includes an analog threshold value, for each sensor, substantially between the first and second signals for that sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

storing a respective signature for a plurality of faceplates.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

attaching an unknown faceplate to the powerhead;

determining a detected analog signal level and/or polarity for said Hall effect sensor; and

identifying the unknown faceplate based on the detected signal levels and the stored signatures.

8. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a syringe cradle configured to hold a syringe;

a syringe detection circuit including a plurality of sensors and configured to detect the relative positions of features of said syringe adjacent to each of said sensors to determine a filled volume of the syringe; and

a sensor support structure configured to hold the sensors in a fixed position relative to a syringe to detect a relative positions of features of said syringe using said sensors.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the syringe detection circuit includes a plurality of sensors, each sensor located along a longitudinal direction, and aligned with, the pre-filled syringe.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each sensor transmits a respective signal and detects its reflection;

and based on the reflection, each sensor determines a relative position of a feature of the syringe adjacent that sensor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a capacity of a pre-filled syringe is determined based on the sensors.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the syringe detection circuit further comprises:

a plurality of sensors each arranged to detect a presence of a plunger disc of the syringe, wherein the capacity of the pre-filled syringe is determined based on which sensor detects the plunger disc.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a syringe cradle overlying the syringe detection circuit and shielding ambient light.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein each sensor is configured to modulate an output radiation signal and to ignore a reflected signal that is unmodulated.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a transmitter arranged near a front of the syringe, configured to transmit a signal toward the syringe; and

a receiver located on an opposite side of the syringe as the transmitter, and configured to detect the signal when the syringe is empty.

16. Within a contrast media injector system, a method comprising the steps of:

positioning a pre-filled syringe adjacent a plurality of sensors;

detecting a position of a plunger disc of the syringe using the plurality of sensors; and

identifying a capacity of the syringe based on the position.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensors are arranged such that only a single sensor detects the plunger disc for each different capacity syringe.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of detecting further includes the steps of:

transmitting a respective signal from each sensor;

detecting a respective reflected signal at each sensor; and

determining if the plunger disc is adjacent a particular sensor based on the respective reflected signal.

19. A powerhead of a contrast media injector system comprising:

a housing;

first and second syringe rams movable within said housing and engageable to plungers of first and second syringes;

a drive mechanism within the housing configured to move the syringe rams;

a syringe accessory for association with a syringe, including electrical components for interacting with said syringe, and a connector for connecting said electrical components to said powerhead; and

circuitry within the housing for controlling said drive mechanism in a programmed manner to effect an injection into a patient, said circuitry including at least a first and a second connector for connecting to a syringe accessory, said circuitry including circuitry distinguishing whether a syringe accessory connected to one of said first or second connectors is associated with said first or said second syringe.

20. The powerhead of claim 19 wherein said syringe accessory comprises a magnetic sensor for detecting a magnet associated with a syringe mounting, said magnetic sensor interacting with said electrical components of said syringe accessory to identify whether said syringe accessory is associated with said first or second syringe based upon the detected presence or absence of a magnet.