RADIOPHARMACEUTICAL DISPENSING, ADMINISTRATION, AND IMAGING

• US 20080131362A1
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Dynamics Medical Ltd
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Dynamics LLC
• Inventors: Bronshtine, Zohar, Omer, Einav, Rousso, Benny, Ben-Haim, Shlomo, Dickman, Dalia, Nagler, Michael, Melman, Haim, Zilberstien, Yoel
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1785 comprising radioactive shield means syringe shields or holders for storage of radioactive sources G21F5/018
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for use with at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, the apparatus including a container (22) containing the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, and a portable computer-communicatable data carrier (120, 24) associated with the container (22), the data carrier (120, 24) containing imaging protocol information for use with the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use with at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, the apparatus comprising:

a container containing the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent; and

a portable computer-communicatable data carrier associated with the container, the data carrier containing imaging protocol information for use with the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data carrier additionally contains administration protocol information useful for administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the administration protocol information and the imaging protocol information specify a protocol using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, which protocol has a total duration, including administration and image acquisition, of less than 30 minutes, and includes at least one rest phase and at least one stress phase.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging protocol information comprises instructions for performing an imaging procedure using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging protocol information comprises an identifier of an imaging protocol.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging protocol information comprises a parameter useful for configuring at least one aspect of an imaging procedure performed using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is shaped so as to define a plurality of chambers, each of which contains a respective one of a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the data carrier comprises a first data carrier, which contains a first identifier value,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a second computer-communicatable data carrier, which contains a second identifier value, and

wherein the apparatus is configured to operate responsively to a detection of a correspondence between the first and second identifier values.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a portable joining element, which is configured to be coupled to the container, wherein the data carrier is physically coupled to the joining element.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent includes a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, wherein the container comprises a plurality of containers containing respective ones of the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, and wherein the imaging protocol information contained in the data carrier is for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the joining element comprises tubing, which is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with the plurality of containers.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the data carrier additionally contains administration protocol information useful for administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, comprising:

an administration system, which comprises;

an injector, configured to be coupled to the container; and

an administration control unit; and

an imaging system, which comprises;

a communication element, configured to receive, from the data carrier, the administration protocol information, which specifies injector actions of an administration procedure associated with respective action identifier codes; and

an imaging control unit, configured to communicate, responsively to the protocol information, the action identifier codes to the administration system at respective appropriate times,

wherein the administration control unit is configured to;

store a list of the injector actions associated with the respective action identifier codes,

receive the action identifier codes communicated by the imaging control unit, and

responsively to the action identifier codes, drive the injector to perform corresponding injector actions, including administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent contained in the container.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, comprising:

an administration system, which comprises;

an injector, configured to be coupled to the container;

a communication element, configured to receive, from the data carrier, the administration protocol information, which specifies a list of steps of an administration protocol associated with respective step identifier codes; and

an administration control unit; and

an imaging system, which comprises an imaging control unit, which is configured to communicate the step identifier codes to the administration system at respective appropriate times,

wherein the administration control unit is configured to;

receive the step identifier codes communicated by the imaging control unit, and

responsively to the step identifier codes, drive the injector to perform corresponding injector actions, including administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent contained in the container.

25. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data carrier is physically coupled to the container.

32. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an imaging system, which comprises:

a communication element, configured to read the imaging protocol information from the data carrier; and

a control unit, comprising imaging functionality, which is configured to perform an imaging procedure, and to configure the procedure at least in part responsively to the imaging protocol information read from the data carrier by the communication element.

42. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data carrier is not physically coupled to the container, and wherein the data carrier contains an identifier of a patient to whom the labeled radiopharmaceutical agent is to be administered.

2. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9-10. -10. (canceled)

13-18. -18. (canceled)

26-31. -31. (canceled)

33-41. -41. (canceled)

43-44. -44. (canceled)

45. Apparatus for use with one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, the apparatus comprising:

one or more containers respectively containing the one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents;

a portable joining element, which is configured to be coupled to the containers; and

a portable computer-communicatable data carrier physically coupled to the joining element, the data carrier containing imaging protocol information for use with the labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, and administration protocol information for use with the labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

46. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents include a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, wherein the one or more containers comprise a plurality of containers containing respective ones of the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, and wherein the imaging protocol information and the administration protocol information contained in the data carrier are for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

47. The apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the joining element comprises tubing, which is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with the plurality of containers.

48. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the administration protocol information comprises instructions for performing an administration procedure using the one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

49. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the administration protocol information comprises an identifier of an administration protocol.

50-114. -114. (canceled)

115. A method comprising:

placing at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent in a container;

associating a portable computer-communicatable data carrier with the container; and

writing, to the data carrier, imaging protocol information for use with the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

116. The method according to claim 115, comprising writing, to the data carrier, administration protocol information useful for administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

117. The method according to claim 116, wherein the administration protocol information and the imaging protocol information specify a protocol using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, which protocol has a total duration, including administration and image acquisition, of less than 30 minutes, and includes at least one rest phase and at least one stress phase.

118. The method according to claim 115, wherein writing the imaging protocol information comprises writing instructions for performing an imaging procedure using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

119. The method according to claim 115, wherein writing the imaging protocol information comprises writing an identifier of an imaging protocol.

121. The method according to claim 115, wherein writing the imaging protocol information comprises writing a parameter useful for configuring at least one aspect of an imaging procedure performed using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

124. The method according to claim 115, wherein the container is shaped so as to define a plurality of chambers, and wherein placing the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent in the container comprises placing a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents in respective chambers.

125. The method according to claim 115, wherein associating the data carrier comprises associating a first data carrier with the container, and wherein the method comprises:

writing a first identifier value to the first data carrier;

writing a second identifier to a second computer-communicatable data carrier;

detecting a correspondence between the first and second identifier values; and

performing an operation responsively to the detecting.

132. The method according to claim 115, wherein associating the data carrier with the container comprises:

coupling the container to a portable joining element; and

physically coupling the data carrier to the joining element.

133. The method according to claim 132, wherein placing the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent in a container comprises placing a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents in a respective plurality of containers, wherein coupling the container comprises coupling the plurality of containers to the joining element, and wherein the imaging protocol information contained in the data carrier is for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

134. The method according to claim 133, wherein the joining element includes tubing, and wherein coupling the plurality of containers to the joining element comprises coupling the tubing in fluid communication with the plurality of containers.

135. The method according to claim 132, comprising writing, to the data carrier, administration protocol information useful for administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent.

136. The method according to claim 135, comprising:

receiving, at an imaging system, from the data carrier, the administration protocol information, which specifies administration actions of an administration procedure associated with respective action identifier codes;

communicating, by the imaging system, responsively to the protocol information, the action identifier codes to an administration system at respective appropriate times;

storing, in the administration system, a list of the administration actions associated with the respective action identifier codes;

receiving, by the administration system, the action identifier codes communicated by the imaging system; and

responsively to the action identifier codes, performing, by the administration system, corresponding administration actions, including administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent contained in the container.

137. The method according to claim 135, comprising:

receiving, at an administration system, from the data carrier, the administration protocol information, which specifies a list of steps of an administration protocol associated with respective step identifier codes;

communicating, by an imaging system, the step identifier codes to the administration system at respective appropriate times;

receiving, at the imaging system, the step identifier codes communicated by the imaging system; and

responsively to the step identifier codes, performing, by the administration system, corresponding administration actions, including administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent contained in the container.

138. The method according to claim 115, wherein associating the data carrier with the container comprises physically coupling the data carrier to the container.

145. The method according to claim 115, comprising:

reading the imaging protocol information from the data carrier; and

performing an imaging procedure, and configuring the procedure at least in part responsively to the imaging protocol information read from the data carrier.

155. The method according to claim 115, wherein associating the data carrier with the container does not comprise physically coupling the data carrier to the container, and comprising writing, to the data carrier, an identifier of a patient to whom the labeled radiopharmaceutical agent is to be administered.

120. (canceled)

122-123. -123. (canceled)

126-132. -132. (canceled)

139-144. -144. (canceled)

146-154. -154. (canceled)

156-157. -157. (canceled)

158. A method comprising:

physically coupling a computer-communicatable data carrier to a portable joining element;

placing one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents in one or more respective containers;

coupling the containers to the joining element; and

writing, to the data carrier, imaging protocol information for use with the labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, and administration protocol information for use with the labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

159. The method according to claim 158, wherein the one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents include a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, wherein placing the one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents in the one or more containers comprising placing the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents in a respective plurality of containers, wherein coupling the containers comprises coupling the plurality of containers to the joining element, and wherein the imaging protocol information and the administration protocol information contained in the data carrier are for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

160. The method according to claim 159, wherein the joining element includes tubing, and wherein coupling the plurality of containers to the joining element comprises coupling the tubing in fluid communication with the plurality of containers.

161. The method according to claim 158, wherein writing the administration protocol information comprises writing instructions for performing an administration procedure using the one or more labeled radiopharmaceutical agents.

162. The method according to claim 158, wherein writing the administration protocol information comprises writing an identifier of an imaging protocol.

163-218. -218. (canceled)