INFORMATION SENSING SYRINGE

• US 20140249410A1
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: UBER, Arthur E. III, MARSH, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,623,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/432
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16877 Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31513 Piston constructions to improve sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31573 Accuracy improving means

Abstract

Syringe systems and flow control systems configured to detect information associated with a liquid material are described. The syringe systems may include a syringe body for housing the liquid material and an injector piston for expelling the liquid material out of the syringe through a discharge outlet at a distal end of the syringe body. Components of the syringe, such as an injector piston, may include sensors configured to measure and/or detect a property of the liquid material, such as concentration, pH, or radioactivity. The flow control system may include a pinch valve and a platen arranged about a fluid delivery channel. Flow within the fluid delivery channel may be controlled by increasing (squeezing the fluid delivery channel) or decreasing the distance between the pinch valve and the platen. Components of the flow control system may include detectors configured to detect properties of fluid in the fluid control channel.

Claims

1. A syringe system comprising:

a syringe body comprising a proximal open end and at least one distal discharge outlet, the syringe body being configured to house a liquid substance;

a plunger positioned in the syringe body forming a seal with an inner wall of the syringe body;

an injector piston configured to be received by the proximal open end and to slide within the syringe body, the injector piston being configured to engage the plunger as it slides within the syringe body to expel the liquid substance through the at least one discharge outlet; and

at least one sensor configured to measure at least one property of the liquid substance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned within the injector piston.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is not in contact with the liquid.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of radiation sensors, pH sensors, optical sensors, analyte sensors, concentration sensors, and combinations thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from silicon diodes, scintillators, photomultipliers, semiconductors, solid state crystals, ion chambers, and combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid substance is selected from a pharmaceutical drug, a contrast agent, a radioactive contrast agent, and combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one property is selected from concentration, radioactivity, salinity, conductance, optical properties, analyte concentration, and combinations thereof.

8. The injector of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor configures a plurality of redundant sensors.

9. A device for automatically injecting a radioactive liquid substance, the device comprising:

a syringe comprising;

a syringe body comprising a proximal open end and at least one distal discharge outlet, the syringe body being configured to house a liquid substance, and

a plunger arranged within the syringe body forming a seal with an inside surface of the syringe body;

an injector piston configured to be received by the proximal open end and to slide within the syringe body, the injector piston being configured to engage the plunger as it slides within the syringe body to expel the radioactive liquid substance through the at least one discharge outlet;

at least one sensor configured to measure at least one radioactive property of the radioactive liquid substance; and

a syringe shield covering at least a portion of the syringe body.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned within the injector piston.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the radioactive liquid substance comprises a radiopharmaceutical.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the radiopharmaceutical is selected from ⁶⁴Cu diacetyl-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone), ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose, ¹⁸F-fluoride, 3′

-deoxy-3′

-[¹⁸F]fluorothymidme, ¹⁸F-fluoromisonidazole, thallium, gallium, technetium-99m, indium-113m, and strontium-87m.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one radioactive property comprises an amount of radioactivity of the radioactive liquid substance.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from silicon diodes, scintillators, photomultipliers, semiconductors, solid state crystals, and combinations thereof.

15. A fluid delivery channel flow control system comprising:

a force concentration element and a platen arranged to opposedly contact a fluid delivery channel positioned therebetween; and

a force assembly configured to move one of the force concentration element and the platen in a first direction to reduce a distance therebetween, thereby generating a pressing force on the fluid delivery channel and reducing a flow of a fluid within the fluid delivery channel, and in a second direction to expand the distance, thereby reducing at least a portion of the pressing force on the fluid delivery channel and increasing the flow of the fluid within the fluid delivery channel.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the force assembly comprises a spring.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the force assembly comprises an electromagnet.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the force assembly comprises:

a spring configured to apply a force in the first direction to move the platen toward the force concentration element; and

an electromagnet configured to oppose the force in the first direction to move the platen in the second direction responsive to being energized.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one detector is arranged within the platen.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the detector is a radioactivity detector.