Patient specific dosing contrast delivery systems and methods

• US 6,385,483 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1998
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Welch, Thomas R., Uber, Arthur E. III, Hirschman, Alan D., Almon-Martin, Rosemary
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US09/197,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 600/431, 600/432, 600/3, 604/65-67, 604/246, 604/247, 604/131, 604/151, 128/DIG.12, 128/DIG.13
• US Class Current: 600/431
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/80 voice-operated command
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/12 Pressure infusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/13 Infusion monitoring

Abstract

This invention relates generally to the field of medical devices for delivering contrast media during medical diagnostic and therapeutic imaging procedures and more particularly, this invention relates to improved contrast media delivery systems and methods of use which allow adjustment of contrast media concentration and injection parameters either before or during an injection procedure to provide patient specific dosing of contrast media, thus decreasing the waste and cost of these procedures while increasing their efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for improving a contrast-enhanced image of a patient, comprising:

selecting an area of interest in the patient'"'"'s body being examined, wherein contrast media is present in blood vessels and pixel intensity of the image is proportional to concentration of the contrast media in the blood vessels;

determining pixel intensity of the image in said area of interest;

comparing determined pixel intensity with a predetermined value of pixel intensity; and

automatically adjusting at least one injection parameter to obtain pixel intensity of substantially the predetermined value in the area of interest based on the comparison between said determined pixel intensity and said predetermined value of pixel intensity.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one injection parameter is concentration or flow rate of the contrast media.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said automatically adjusting step takes place during patient infusion.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second area of interest in the image;

determining a difference in pixel intensity between the two areas of interest;

wherein the determined pixel intensity is the determined difference.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one injection parameter is concentration.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the concentration of the contrast media is adjusted by adjusting the amount of a diluent added thereto.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting step is performed by an operator.

8. An apparatus for providing a contrast-enhanced image of a patient, comprising:

means for selecting an area of interest in the patient'"'"'s body being examined, wherein contrast media is present in blood vessels and pixel intensity of the image is proportional to concentration of the contrast media in the blood vessels;

means for determining pixel intensity of the image in said area of interest;

means for comparing determined pixel intensity with a predetermined value of pixel intensity; and

means for automatically adjusting at least one injection parameter to obtain pixel intensity of substantially the predetermined value in the area of interest based on the comparison between said determined pixel intensity and said predetermined value of pixel intensity.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one injection parameter comprises at least one of concentration, flow rate and volume.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one injection parameter is automatically adjusted during patient infusion.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a source of said contrast media.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a source of diluent.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the concentration of the contrast media is adjusted by adjusting the amount of diluent added thereto.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for selecting comprises a user interface.

15. An apparatus for providing a contrast-enhanced image of a patient, comprising:

an interface configured to select an area of interest in the patient'"'"'s body being examined, wherein contrast media is present in blood vessels and pixel intensity of the image is proportional to concentration of the contrast media in the blood vessels; and

an image processor in communication with the interface, the image processor being configured to (a) determine pixel intensity of the image in said area of interest, (b) compare determined pixel intensity with a predetermined value of pixel intensity, and (c) automatically adjust at least one injection parameter to obtain pixel intensity of substantially the predetermined value in the area of interest based on the comparison between said determined pixel intensity and said predetermined value of pixel intensity.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one injection parameter comprises at least one of concentration, flow rate and volume.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one injection parameter is automatically adjusted during patient infusion.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a source of the contrast media.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a source of diluent.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the concentration of the contrast media is adjusted by adjusting the amount of diluent added thereto.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the interface comprises a graphical user interface.

22. A method for providing a contrast-enhanced image of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

selecting a first area of interest in the patient'"'"'s body;

selecting a second area of interest in the patient'"'"'s body being examined, wherein contrast media is present in blood vessels and pixel intensity of the image is proportional to concentration of the contrast media in the blood vessels;

determining a first pixel intensity of the image in said first area of interest;

determining a second pixel intensity of the image in said second area of interest;

determining a relative pixel intensity by determining the difference between the first pixel intensity and the second pixel intensity;

comparing the determined relative pixel intensity with a predetermined value of pixel intensity;

automatically adjusting at least one injection parameter to obtain pixel intensity of substantially the predetermined value in at least one of the first and second areas of interest.

23. An apparatus for providing a contrast-enhanced image of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

means for selecting a first area of interest in the patient'"'"'s body;

means for selecting a second area of interest in the patient'"'"'s body being examined, wherein contrast media is present in blood vessels and pixel intensity of the image is proportional to concentration of the contrast media in the blood vessels;

means for determining a first pixel intensity of the image in said first area of interest;

means for determining a second pixel intensity of the image in said second area of interest;

means for determining a relative pixel intensity, the determining means including means for determining the difference between the first pixel intensity and the second pixel intensity;

means for comparing the determined relative pixel intensity with a predetermined value of pixel intensity;

means for automatically adjusting at least one injection parameter to obtain pixel intensity of substantially the predetermined value in at least one of the first and second areas of interest.