Powerhead of a power injection system

• US 20060079767A1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Ziemba, Robert J., Brooks, David M., Wagner, Gary S., Gibbs, Jonathan D., Bruce, John Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,277,416 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 powerhead of a contrast media injector system comprising:

a syringe ram;

a drive mechanism configured to move the syringe ram;

a manual knob operatively coupled to the drive mechanism such that movement of the syringe ram results in rotation of the manual knob corresponding to a speed the syringe ram is moving; and

a illumination source illuminating a portion of the control knob.

2. The powerhead of claim 1, wherein the illumination source comprises one or more LEDs.

3. The powerhead of claim 1, wherein the illumination source illuminates said control knob in different colors in response to an operative mode of said powerhead.

4. The powerhead of claim 1, wherein the control knob further comprises:

a light guiding region coupled with the illumination source;

a substantially transparent or translucent portion coupled with the light guiding region; and

a substantially opaque region surrounding the transparent or translucent portion, the opaque region having one or more opening through which the transparent or translucent portion is visible.

5. The powerhead of claim 2, wherein the visible transparent or translucent portion and opaque region comprise longitudinal stripes along the periphery of the control knob, the opaque region made from a material with one or more of greater surface friction and softer surface than the transparent or translucent portion.

6. The powerhead of claim 1 wherein the powerhead is a dual head injector system that includes a second control knob substantially similar to the first, wherein the control knobs operate independently of each other.

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

selecting an injection protocol;

determining a pressure limit value associated with the selected protocol based on pressures achieved during a previous execution of the selected protocol; and

using the pressure limit value while executing the selected protocol.

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

performing a particular injection protocol; and

storing historical pressure information associated with the particular injection protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the historical pressure information includes a highest experienced pressure during the particular protocol.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the historical pressure information includes an average pressure experienced during the particular protocol.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a pressure limit value is determined based upon statistical analysis of historical pressure information for the particular protocol.

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

presenting the pressure limit value to an operator;

receiving a change, if any, to the pressure limit value; and

executing the selected protocol according to the changed pressure limit value.

13. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a processor;

a non-volatile storage coupled with the processor;

an application stored within the non-volatile storage configured to execute on said processor to;

select an injection protocol;

determine a pressure limit value associated with the selected protocol based on previous execution of the selected protocol; and

use the pressure limit value while executing the selected protocol.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the application is further configured to:

perform a particular injection protocol; and

store historical pressure information associated with the particular injection protocol.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the historical pressure information includes a highest experienced pressure during the particular protocol.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the historical pressure information includes an average pressure experience during the particular protocol.

17. A contrast media injector system comprising:

one or more housings;

within a housing, a syringe ram movable within one said housing and engageable to a plunger of a syringe, and a drive mechanism configured to move the syringe ram; and

within a housing, circuitry for controlling said drive mechanism in a programmed manner to effect an injection into a patient, and a removable memory device socket connected to said circuitry and positioned internally to said housing to permit a removable memory device to be inserted from outside said housing into said socket, said circuitry interacting with said removable memory device to store information into and/or retrieve information from said removable memory device.

18. The injector of claim 17 wherein said removable memory device utilizes a memory storage technology selected from Memory Stick and Secure Digital Multimedia Memory Card (SD/MMC).

19. The injector of claim 17 wherein said circuitry interacts with said removable memory device to store and/or retrieve one or more of injector configuration information, injector usage statistics, and injector software updates.

20. The injector of claim 19 wherein said circuitry interacts with said removable memory device to store and/or retrieve injection sequences that may be configured for operation of the injector.

21. The injector of claim 19 wherein said injector usage statistics comprise one or more of hours of operation, number of injections, pressures and flow rates achieved and protocols utilized.

22. Within a contrast media injector system, a method of transferring injection sequence information from a control circuit of said injector system, comprising the steps of:

connecting a removable memory device to said control circuit, said control circuit interacting with said removable memory device to store injection sequence information into said removable memory device.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising transferring injection sequence information to a control circuit of a second injector system, comprising the steps of

connecting said removable memory device to said control circuit of said second injector system, said control circuit of said second injector system interacting with said removable memory device to store injection sequence information from said removable memory device into said control circuit of said second injector system.

24. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a drive movable and engageable to a fluid container to fill or expel fluid therein;

circuitry for controlling said drive in a programmed manner to effect an injection into a patient; and

a memory, said circuitry interacting with said memory to store information into and/or retrieve information from said memory relating to injection sequences to be carried out by said drive, said memory associating at least a given injection sequence with authentication data, said circuitry permitting operator retrieval of said given injection sequence from said memory and modification thereof without requiring operator authentication, said circuitry requiring operator authentication by reference to said authentication data before permitting storage of changes to said given injection sequence in said memory.