Contrast container holder and method to fill syringes
First Claim
1. A method for performing a filling sequence in a contrast media injector system that uses a fill tube coupling a syringe to contrast media supply to fill the syringe with a desired fill volume of contrast media, the method comprising:
- attaching said fill tube to said syringe;
drawing contrast media into the syringe through the fill tube at a first fill rate;
thereafter, automatically expelling substantially all air from the fill tube by automatically reversing the first fill rate and expelling fluid from said syringe, wherein at least some of the contrast media is expelled through the fill tube during the expelling;
thereafter, filling the syringe at a second fill rate to fill the syringe with the desired fill volume of contrast media, wherein the second fill rate is faster than the first fill rate; and
thereafter, injecting contrast media into a patient.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The filling of a syringe can be performed at a faster rate using a filling sequence which expels air from the fill tube before filling the syringe. A similar method is used when changing contrast containers during a filling sequence to ensure that all the air is expelled from the fill tube before filling resumes with the new contrast container. Additionally, by including a contrast container holder that is affixed to an injector head and holds the container near the syringe tip, the filling sequence can be accomplished without requiring the operator to hold the contrast container during the sequence.
33 Citations
83 Claims
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1. A method for performing a filling sequence in a contrast media injector system that uses a fill tube coupling a syringe to contrast media supply to fill the syringe with a desired fill volume of contrast media, the method comprising:
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attaching said fill tube to said syringe; drawing contrast media into the syringe through the fill tube at a first fill rate; thereafter, automatically expelling substantially all air from the fill tube by automatically reversing the first fill rate and expelling fluid from said syringe, wherein at least some of the contrast media is expelled through the fill tube during the expelling; thereafter, filling the syringe at a second fill rate to fill the syringe with the desired fill volume of contrast media, wherein the second fill rate is faster than the first fill rate; and thereafter, injecting contrast media into a patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for changing contrast media containers during a syringe filling sequence, the method comprising:
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attaching a fill tube to a syringe; thereafter, filling a syringe at at least one of a first fill rate and a second fill rate through the fill tube, the fill tube coupled between the syringe and a first contrast container; thereafter, pausing the filling when the first contrast container is substantially emptied; thereafter, replacing the first contrast container with a second contrast container; thereafter, coupling the fill tube between the syringe and the second contrast container; thereafter, expelling substantially all air from the fill tube coupled between the syringe and the second contrast container wherein at least some of the contrast media is expelled from the syringe, through the fill tube, and into the second contrast container during the expelling; and thereafter, resuming filling the syringe from the second contrast container at the second fill rate that is faster than the first fill rate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operation for a contrast media injector system, the method comprising:
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automatically drawing an initial volume of medical fluid into a syringe of a contrast media injector system at a first fill rate; after the drawing, automatically ceasing drawing and commencing expelling at least some of the medical fluid from the syringe; and thereafter, automatically ceasing expelling and commencing filling the syringe at a second fill rate that is faster than the first fill rate, wherein a total volume of medical fluid in the syringe after the filling is greater than the initial volume. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of performing an automated syringe filling sequence in a contrast media injector, the method comprising:
the injector pulling a first amount of fluid into a syringe of the injector at a first rate; after the injector pulling the first amount of fluid into the syringe, the injector automatically reversing a direction of a ram of the injector to expel at least a portion of the fluid from the syringe; and after the injector automatically reversing the direction of the ram, the injector automatically retracting the ram at a second rate faster than the first rate to draw a second volume of the fluid into the syringe. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
Specification