SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HEATING AND INSULATING CONTRAST MEDIA

• US 20110307117A1
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: McKinnon, Austin Jason, Adams, Chad M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0071 using a resistor, e.g. near the spot to be heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0095 with a temperature indicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media

Abstract

A system for heating and insulating contrast media is disclosed herein. A thermal insulating cover sized to cover at least a portion of a contrast media container is provided with a heating element. A temperature sensor measures the temperature of the contrast media and communicates this temperature to a temperature controller, which controls the heating element in order to maintain the contrast media near a predetermined temperature. Temperature data is transmitted to a computer system by a data communicator.

Claims

1. A system for heating and insulating contrast media, the system comprising:

a thermal insulating cover sized to cover at least a portion of a contrast media container;

a heating element coupled to the thermal insulating cover;

a temperature sensor in contact with at least one of the container of contrast media and the contrast media fluid;

a temperature controller in electronic communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor, the temperature controller having logical controls that receive contrast media temperature data from the temperature sensor and control the function of the heating element; and

a data communicator configured to transmit temperature data to an external computer system, the data communicator being in electronic communication with the temperature sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a preheating device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the preheating device includes a data communicator to transmit contrast media temperature data to an external, electronic database.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the contrast media container includes an identification element, and the system further comprises an identification reader in the vicinity of the thermal insulating cover that reads the identification element.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the data communicator is electronically coupled to the identification reader to receive identification data from the identification reader.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature data includes periodic temperature measurements of the contrast media fluid temperature.

7. An insulating and heating device for contrast media, the device comprising:

a thermal insulating cover sized to cover at least a portion of a contrast media container;

container;

a heating element coupled to the thermal insulating cover;

a temperature sensor in contact with at least one of the container of contrast media and the contrast media fluid; and

a temperature controller in electronic communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor, the temperature controller having logical controls that receive contrast media temperature data from the temperature sensor and controls the function of the heating element.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the container includes an identification element and the device further comprises an identification reader coupled to the thermal insulating cover

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising data communicator.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed on a fluid spike.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the heating element is an active heating element.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the heating element is an ohmic heating element.

13. A method for heating and insulating contrast media, the method comprising:

covering at least a portion of a container of contrast media in a thermal insulating cover;

periodically measuring the temperature of at least one of the contrast media and the container;

communicating the measured temperature to a temperature controller;

determining, using the temperature controller, if the measured temperature is below a threshold temperature;

heating the contrast media container within the thermal insulating cover when the temperature controller determines the measured temperature to be below the threshold temperature; and

communicating the periodically measured temperatures to a computer system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying a container identification number associated with the container.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein communicating the periodically measured temperatures further includes communicating the container identification number.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising preparing a record that includes periodically measured temperatures.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising preheating a container containing contrast media fluid prior to substantially surrounding a container containing contrast media fluid in a thermal insulating cover.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising identifying the container identification number when preheating the container containing contrast media fluid.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising identifying the temperature of the preheated container containing contrast media fluid and communication the temperature to a computer system.

19. The method of claim 19, further comprising communicating the container identification number to the external computer system.