Dynamic anthropomorphic cardiovascular phantom

• US 8,608,484 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Kalafut, John F., Reilly, David M., Yanniello, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hadizonooz, Banafsheh
• Application Number:
  US12/397,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20090226867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 434/262, 434/268, 434/267, 607 4- 8, 607/9, 607/24, 600/480, 600/481, 600/419
• US Class Current: 434/268
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/32 with moving parts

Abstract

A cardiovascular flow system includes: a cardiovascular model system, a pump system in fluid connection with the cardiovascular model system, and an ECG simulator in communicative connection with the pump system. The ECG simulator system is adapted to create and transmit a simulated ECG signal. The ECG simulator system uses a signal received from the pump system to adjust the simulated ECG signal transmitted from the ECG simulator system. The cardiovascular flow system further includes an injection port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with an injector to inject at least one fluid into the system.

Claims

1. A cardiovascular flow system, comprising:

(a) a model of a cardiovascular system, the model including cardiac anatomy inclusive of a pulmonary artery that crosses a coronary artery tree of the cardiac anatomy;

(b) a pump system for enabling a carrier fluid to be propagated through the model;

(c) an ECG simulator system in communicative connection with the pump system, the ECG simulator system being adapted to create and transmit a simulated ECG signal, the ECG simulator system using a signal received from the pump system to adjust the simulated ECG signal transmitted from the ECG simulator system; and

(d) an injection port to enable an injection fluid to be injected into the model, the injection port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with an injector to inject the injection fluid into the model;

wherein, as the carrier fluid and the injection fluid flow through the model as a result of the pump system, at least the injection fluid is detectable by an imaging system as the injection fluid flows through at least one region of interest of the model.

2. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1 wherein the model simulates mammalian physiologic hemodynamic parameters.

3. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, wherein the hemodynamic parameters comprise systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and convective transport of the injection fluid from the injection port to the at least one region of interest within the model.

4. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, wherein the model simulates a mammalian anatomy for the at least one region of interest.

5. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 4, wherein the at least one region of interest comprises the coronary artery tree and a thoracic aorta.

6. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, wherein motion occurs within the at least one region of interest as a result of pulsatile flow of at least one of the carrier fluid and the injection fluid therethrough.

7. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, wherein the ECG simulator system includes a processing system to synchronize the simulated ECG signal to the signal received from the pump system.

8. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, wherein the ECG simulator system includes a controller adapter to adjust timing between the simulated ECG signal and the signal received from the pump system.

9. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, wherein the pump system includes a sensor adapted to provide the signal from the pump system.

10. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, wherein the ECG simulator system interfaces with a scanner to transmit the simulated ECG signal to the scanner.

11. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, further including a lung sink and a body sink in fluid connection within the model.

12. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 11, wherein interconnections within the cardiovascular flow system are formed to simulate at least one of physiology and anatomy.

13. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 12, wherein the interconnections are selected to simulate physiologic pressure.

14. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, further comprising a kidney simulation system in fluid connection with the model.

15. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 14, wherein the kidney system comprises a first pump system to pump fresh fluid into the cardiovascular flow system and a second pump system to pump fluid out of the cardiovascular flow system.

16. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 15, wherein the kidney simulation system is controlled to control at least one of fluid volume and pressure within the cardiovascular flow system.

17. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1 further comprising a pressure relief system to prevent pressure within the cardiovascular flow system from exceeding a predetermined pressure.

18. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 17, wherein the pressure relief system is adapted to maintain pressure within the cardiovascular flow system within limits of physiologic pressure.

19. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 1, further comprising the injector.

20. A method of simulating flow of an injection fluid through a mammalian cardiovascular system, the steps of the method comprising:

(a) providing a model of a cardiovascular system of a mammal, the model comprising a cardiac anatomy and a pulmonary artery crossing the cardiac anatomy, the model further comprising an injection port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with an injector to inject the injection fluid into the model;

(b) pumping a carrier fluid through the model to enable propagation of the carrier fluid through the model inclusive of the cardiac anatomy and the pulmonary artery;

(c) configuring a desired cardiac output and heart rate of the cardiovascular system by adjusting at least a stroke volume and a stroke frequency of the pumping;

(d) generating an ECG signal for the cardiovascular system that is synchronized with a trigger signal associated with the pumping;

(e) injecting the injection fluid into the model via the injection port; and

(f) detecting the injection fluid in at least one region of interest within the model as the carrier fluid and the injection fluid flow through the model as a result of the pumping.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the ECG signal is synchronized with the trigger signal based on an aortic pressure generated within the cardiac anatomy by the pumping.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising scanning the at least one region of interest of the model with an imaging system to produce an image and thus enable generation of at least one time enhancement curve representative of propagation of the injection fluid through the at least one region of interest.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the injection fluid comprises a contrast medium.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the model includes a body sink and a lung sink in fluid connection with the cardiac anatomy and the pulmonary artery.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the body sink and the lung sink are in fluid connection with the cardiac anatomy and the pulmonary artery via tubing adapted to simulate physiological pressures.

26. A cardiovascular flow system, comprising:

(a) a model of a cardiovascular system, the model comprising a cardiac anatomy and a pulmonary artery crossing the cardiac anatomy;

(b) a pump system for enabling a carrier fluid to be propagated through the model inclusive of the cardiac anatomy and the pulmonary artery;

(c) an injection port to enable an injection fluid to be injected into the model, the injection port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with an injector to inject the injection fluid into the model; and

(d) a kidney system in fluid connection with the model, the kidney system comprising a first pump system to pump fresh carrier fluid into the model and a second pump system to filter at least one of the injection fluid and an other fluid out of the model;

wherein, as the carrier fluid and the injection fluid flow through the model as a result of the pump system, at least the injection fluid is detectable by an imaging system as the injection fluid flows through at least one region of interest of the model.

27. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 26, wherein the first pump system and the second pump system are controlled to prevent fluid volume increase within the cardiovascular flow system upon injection of at least one of the carrier fluid, the injection fluid and the other fluid into the model via the injection port.

28. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 26, wherein the kidney system is controlled to control pressure within the cardiovascular flow system.

29. A cardiovascular flow system, comprising:

(a) a model of a cardiovascular system, the model comprising a cardiac anatomy and a pulmonary artery crossing the cardiac anatomy;

(b) a pump system for enabling a carrier fluid to be propagated through the model inclusive of the cardiac anatomy and the pulmonary artery;

(c) an injection port to enable an injection fluid to be injected into the model, the injection port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with an injector to inject the injection fluid into the model; and

(d) a pressure relief system to prevent pressure within the cardiovascular flow system from exceeding a predetermined pressure;

wherein, as the carrier fluid and the injection fluid flow through the model as a result of the pump system, at least the injection fluid is detectable by an imaging system as the injection fluid flows through at least one region of interest of the model.

30. The cardiovascular flow system of claim 29, wherein the pressure relief system is adapted to maintain pressure within the cardiovascular flow system within limits of physiologic pressure.

31. A cardiovascular flow system, comprising:

(a) a model of a cardiovascular system for simulating anatomy and physiology, the model including cardiac anatomy inclusive of a pulmonary artery that crosses a coronary tree of the cardiac anatomy;

(b) a pump system for enabling a carrier fluid to be propagated through the model;

(c) an ECG simulator system in communicative connection with the pump system, the ECG simulator system being adapted to create and transmit a simulated ECG signal, the ECG simulator system using a signal received from the pump system to adjust the simulated ECG signal transmitted from the ECG simulator system; and

(d) an injection port to enable an injection fluid to be injected into the model, the injection port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with an injector to inject the injection fluid into the model;

wherein as the carrier fluid and the injection fluid flow through the model as a result of the pump system, the cross of the coronary tree by the pulmonary artery enables acquisition of imaging scans thereof in which an enhancement pattern mimics that of a pulmonary trunk of a human cardiovascular system.