Drawing station system for radioactive material
DCFirst Claim
1. A drawing station system for transferring radioactive material from a container of radioactive material to a syringe having a needle protruding from one end and a plunger protruding from the other end, the system comprising:
- a base;
a support extending upwardly from the base;
a first arm pivotally mounted to the support for rotation about a first predetermined axis;
a second arm pivotally mounted to the first arm for rotation about a second predetermined axis; and
a radiopharmaceutical pig having a cap and an interior surface defining a cavity with an opening sized to accept the cap to enclose the container of radioactive material in the cavity, the opening further positioned adjacent to the container to allow access thereto, the radiopharmaceutical pig releasably mounted to the second arm such that the radiopharmaceutical pig is pivotable about both predetermined axes upon the rotation of the first arm and the second arm, thereby positioning the container for penetration by the syringe needle to draw radioactive material from the container into the syringe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved drawing station system for handling radioactive material for use in syringes in the health care industry. The system includes a drawing station, a syringe shield and two different radiopharmaceutical pigs. The drawing station has a base with a support and two arms mounted thereto to support a first radiopharmaceutical pig enclosing a container of radioactive material. The radiopharmaceutical pig is releasably mounted to the second arm so that the radiopharmaceutical pig is pivotable about two predetermined axes to position the container for penetration by the syringe needle to draw radioactive material from the container into the syringe.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A drawing station system for transferring radioactive material from a container of radioactive material to a syringe having a needle protruding from one end and a plunger protruding from the other end, the system comprising:
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a base; a support extending upwardly from the base; a first arm pivotally mounted to the support for rotation about a first predetermined axis; a second arm pivotally mounted to the first arm for rotation about a second predetermined axis; and a radiopharmaceutical pig having a cap and an interior surface defining a cavity with an opening sized to accept the cap to enclose the container of radioactive material in the cavity, the opening further positioned adjacent to the container to allow access thereto, the radiopharmaceutical pig releasably mounted to the second arm such that the radiopharmaceutical pig is pivotable about both predetermined axes upon the rotation of the first arm and the second arm, thereby positioning the container for penetration by the syringe needle to draw radioactive material from the container into the syringe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A radiopharmaceutical pig assembly for transporting a container of radioactive material, comprising:
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a radiation dense body; an interior surface within the body defining a cavity with a first opening in the body, the cavity sized to hold the container of radioactive material therein, the first opening of the cavity positioned adjacent to the container to allow access thereto; a radiation dense cap configured to fit across the first opening of the cavity and magnetically mounted thereto to releasible enclose the container of radioactive material therein. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A syringe shield for holding a hypodermic syringe having a needle, a plunger, and a body containing radioactive material, the shield comprising:
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a radiation-resistant body with a proximal end, a distal end and an interior surface extending therebetween to define a passage with openings in each end, the passage being sized to accept the body of the hypodermic syringe therein such that the needle of the syringe projects from the proximal end of the shield and such that the plunger projects from the distal end of the shield; and a scale mounted adjacent to the distal end of the body, the scale bearing markings calibrated to indicate the change in volume of radioactive material in the syringe based on the position of the syringe plunger. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A radiopharmaceutical pig assembly for shielding a syringe containing radioactive material during transport and discharge of the syringe, the syringe having a body with a needle and an opposing plunger extending therefrom, the radiopharmaceutical pig assembly comprising:
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a radiation-resistant lower body portion having an exterior surface, an upper end, and an interior surface defining a first internal cavity with an opening in the upper end sized to accept the needle of the syringe therein, the upper end of the lower body portion being threaded; a radiation-resistant mid body portion having an exterior surface, an upper end, a lower end and an interior surface extending therebetween to define a passageway between openings in the upper and lower ends of the mid body portion, the passageway sized to accept the body of the syringe therein, the lower end of the mid body portion being threaded to releasably engage the threads on the lower body portion, the passageway in the mid body portion located in alignment with the cavity in the lower body portion upon their engagement; a radiation-resistant upper body portion having an exterior surface, an upper end, a lower end, and an interior surface defining a second internal cavity with an opening in the lower end of the upper body portion sized to accept the plunger of the syringe therein, the lower end being threaded to releasably engage the threads on the mid body portion such that the passageway in the mid body portion is located in alignment with the cavity in the upper body portion, and a handle mounted on the mid body portion, wherein the interior surface of the mid body portion also defines a shoulder in the passageway configured to engage the body of the syringe such that the syringe body will not fall through the passageway to allow removal of the upper and lower body portions and the discharge of the syringe without the removal of the syringe from the mid body portion. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of filling a syringe with a radioactive material from a drawing station including a base and a support arm for holding a radiopharmaceutical pig holding a septum-capped container of radioactive material in an internal cavity closed by a cap, the syringe having a body with a needle and an opposing plunger extending from the body, the method comprising:
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receiving the radiopharmaceutical pig holding the container of radioactive material; pivoting the support arm of the drawing station in at least two predetermined axes to position the radiopharmaceutical pig for filling the syringe; mounting the radiopharmaceutical pig to the support arm of the drawing station; removing the cap from the radiopharmaceutical pig to create an opening exposing the container of radioactive material; inserting the needle of the syringe into the container of radioactive material; and pulling the plunger of the syringe to draw radioactive material into the body of the syringe. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification