Powerhead control in a power injection system

• US 20060079842A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Neer, Charles S., Fago, Frank M., Small, James R., Brooks, David M., Wagner, Gary S., Borgemenke, Elaine, Lafferty, Sean
• Application Number:
  US10/964,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3362 with minimised length of fluid lines; Taking into account the elastic expansion of fluid lines to increase accuracy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence

Abstract

A dual head contrast media injection system performs a patency check or test injection, determining flow rate and/or flow volume from the programmed protocol. The tubing that connects syringes to a patient shares only a short common section near to the patient. Appropriate injection steps are taken to compensate for tubing elasticity. A wireless remote control and a touch screen control are provided, improving functionality and information delivery. The display brightness is controlled based on the ambient light, and the display panel includes a double swivel permitting re-orientation. The orientation of the display may also be controlled based on, e.g., the current step, the tilt angle of the powerhead, or a manual control. Furthermore, the display is customizable to identify the type of fluid (contrast, saline, etc.) on either side of the injector, to provide matched color coding, and to provide a folder/tab analogy for retrieving injection protocol parameters.

Claims

1. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a display for a user interface for an operator of the contrast media injector system;

an ambient light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level; and

a control circuit coupled with the ambient light sensor and configured to control a brightness level for the display based on the ambient light level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is provided in a powerhead of the contrast media injector system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is provided in a console of the contrast media injector system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the display comprises a plurality of display items.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of display items include an LED.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control circuit controls a duty cycle of a signal to the LED based on the ambient light level.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of display items include a LCD driver circuit and LCD display.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the LCD driver circuit pulse-width-modulates a signal to control the LCD display based on the ambient light level.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an override setting circuit configured to set the brightness level to a value different than the control circuit.

10. A method for controlling the display of a contrast media injector system, comprising the steps of:

detecting an ambient light level within an environment in which the injector system is operating;

determining a brightness level for at least one display element of a user interface display in the injector system based on the ambient light level; and

controlling the at least one display element based on the brightness level using a control circuit within the contrast media injector system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface display is provided in a powerhead of the contrast media injector system.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface display is provided in a console of the contrast media injector system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface display comprises a plurality of display items.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of display items include an LED.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control circuit controls a duty cycle of a signal to the LED based on the ambient light level.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of display items include a LCD driver circuit and LCD display.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the LCD driver circuit pulse-width-modulates a signal to control the LCD display based on the ambient light level.

18. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a powerhead configured to control delivery of a fluid via a fluid container, comprising a fluid container mounting and a motorized drive for performing a fluid injection with said fluid container; and

a touch screen display incorporated into said powerhead and configured to provide an interactive user interface for controlling substantially all aspects of the contrast media injector system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the interactive user interface provides a series of displays screens having a plurality of input regions.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the interactive user interface duplicates the functionality of a console of the contrast media injector system.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the interactive user interface provides a redundant source for the functionality of a console of the contrast media injector system.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the interactive user interface provides one or more of the functions from the list of:

entering a protocol;

saving a protocol;

editing a protocol;

identifying total patient contrast volume;

displaying historical injection data;

displaying injection phase information;

displaying injection delay information;

orientation of the display and selecting a language setting.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the interactive user interface provides contextual help information for one or more of the display screens.

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58. An injector system comprising:

a powerhead configured to control delivery of a fluid via a syringe, comprising a syringe drive for driving a syringe for injection of fluid;

a display on said powerhead configured to provide an interactive user interface; and

a mount connecting said powerhead and display screen, said mount permitting said display to be positioned flush with a surface of said powerhead and permitting said display to be moved to a position extending from the surface of the injector.

59. The injector system of claim 58 wherein said mount provides a double swivel permitting said display to be swivelled away from said injector surface and pivoted about its axis.

60. The injector system of claim 58 wherein said display is capable of presenting a display in one of at least two orientations.

61. The injector system of claim 60 further comprising a controller for controlling said powerhead in accordance with a sequence of steps, and generating display information for said display, said controller providing a display in a first orientation during a first of said sequence of steps and generating display information for said display in a second orientation during a second of said sequence of steps.

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