Interface Device and Protocol

• US 20090214094A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Original Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Inventors: Tengco, Tito, Cross-Hansen, Alan, Williams, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/566 involving communication between diagnostic systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The invention is an interface device and system for establishing an operating interface between an injector device and diagnostic imaging equipment. In one embodiment, the interface device may permit an operator to concurrently operate and control the injector device and the imaging equipment. The interface device may permit the injector system and the imaging system to communicate information regarding their current and future operational status with each other. The interface device may be used to synchronize the operation of the imaging equipment and the injector device. In one embodiment, the injector device and the imaging equipment may be able to communicate with each other directly or through the interface device via a communications protocol comprising binary logic signals. The binary logic signals may comprise one or more of a low strength signal, a high strength signal, an oscillating signal that oscillates between low and high signal strength, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. An interface device adapted for facilitating communication between an injector device and diagnostic imaging equipment, the interface device comprising:

a control unit having one or more stored imaging equipment operational protocols, the control unit adapted for processing information from the injector device and the imaging equipment;

a dedicated input in communication with the control unit and adapted for receiving information from the imaging equipment;

a dedicated output in communication with the control unit and adapted for sending information from the control unit to the imaging equipment; and

one or more input/output interfaces in communication with the control unit and adapted for sending and receiving information between the control unit and the injector device.

2. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the stored operational protocols include operational parameters for operating the imaging equipment.

3. The interface device according to claim 2, wherein the operational parameters include operational parameters selected from the group consisting of tube current, tube voltage, collimation, pitch, detector configuration, rotation, pause, scan delay, start, and stop.

4. The interface device according to claim 1, further comprising stored operational protocols for the injector device and wherein the stored operational protocols include operational parameters for operating the injector device.

5. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device is adapted to receive and send binary logic signals to and from the imaging equipment.

6. The interface device according to claim 5, wherein the binary logic signals comprise transistor transistor logic.

7. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device is adapted to receive and send binary logic signals to and from the injector device, and wherein the binary logic signals comprise transistor transistor logic.

8. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor.

9. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated input and dedicated output are electrically isolated from each other.

10. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device is reprogrammable.

11. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device is capable of communicating the operational status of the injector device with the imaging equipment, and communicating the operational status of the imaging equipment with the injector device.

12. A system for performing diagnostic imaging comprising:

an injector device adapted for injecting a contrast media into a patient;

a piece of diagnostic imaging equipment for producing diagnostic images;

an interface device operatively connected to the injector device and the imaging equipment, and capable of communicating information between the injector device and the imaging equipment, the interface device comprising

a control unit capable of processing information from the imaging equipment and the injector device;

one or more stored operational protocols for operating the imaging equipment;

one or more input/output interfaces for communicating information between the injector device and the imaging equipment; and

a control console operatively connected to the interface device.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the injector device and the imaging equipment communicate with the interface device via binary logic signals.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the binary logic signals include one or more of a low strength signal, a high strength signal, an oscillating signal that oscillate between low and high strength, and combinations thereof.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein a high strength signal generated by the imaging device comprises a request from the imaging equipment that the injector device stops injecting a contrast media into a patient.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein a low strength signal generated by the imaging device comprises a request from the imaging equipment that the injector device starts injecting a contrast media into a patient.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein the stored operational protocols include operational parameters for operating the imaging equipment, and wherein the operational parameters include operational parameters selected from the group consisting of tube current, tube voltage, collimation, pitch, detector configuration, rotation, pause, scan delay, start, and stop.

18. A system according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is capable of synchronizing the imaging equipment to start diagnostic imaging of a patient at a predetermined time following the injection of a contrast media into a patient.

19. A system according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is capable of instructing the imaging equipment to stop diagnostic imaging of a patient based on information received from the injector device.

20. A system according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is capable of instructing the injector device to start injecting a contrast media into a patient based on information received from the imaging equipment.

21. A communication protocol for facilitating communication between an injector device and imaging equipment, said communication protocol comprising a binary logic signal having one or more of a low strength signal, a high strength signal, an oscillating signal that oscillates between low and high signal strength, and combinations thereof.

22. The communication protocol according to claim 21, wherein the binary logic signal comprises transistor transistor logic.

23. The communication protocol according to claim 21, wherein a low strength signal generated by the imaging equipment comprises a request from the imaging equipment that the injector device starts injecting a contrast media into a patient.

24. The communication protocol according to claim 21, wherein a high strength signal generated by the imaging device comprises a request from the imaging equipment that the injector device stops injecting a contrast media into a patient.

25. The communication protocol according to claim 21, wherein a low strength signal generated by the injector device may comprise a communication from the injector device that the injector device is in the process of injecting a contrast media into a patient.