Powerhead control in a power injection system

• US 8,900,187 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt LLC (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Small, James R., Brooks, David M., Neer, Charles S., Fago, Frank M., Wagner, Gary S., Borgemenke, Elaine, Lafferty, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAY, PHILLIP A
• Application Number:
  US11/551,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,962 Days
• Field of Search: 604/131, 604/151, 604/890.1, 600431-432, 700/21, 700/81, 700/17, 700/83, 700/282
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• 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 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• 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: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

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 powerhead configured to control delivery of a fluid via a fluid container, wherein the powerhead comprises;

a fluid container mounting; and

a motorized drive for performing a fluid injection with the fluid container;

a controller that monitors powerhead activity of a user to determine whether the user has performed a required sequence of operations with the powerhead prior to initiating execution of an injection protocol, wherein the required sequence of operations comprises a plurality of steps that each must be completed by the user before the contrast media injector system may be enabled for initiating an injection in accordance with the injection protocol, wherein the controller monitors for a completion of each step of the plurality of steps; and

a display configured to provide an interactive user interface to the user, the display being configured to provide a first visual change in response to a completion of the required sequence of operations to convey to the user that the injector may thereafter be enabled, and wherein the display is configured to identify each step of the plurality of steps that remain to be done before the injector can be enabled.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an enable display area that changes its appearance upon successful completion of the required sequence of operations.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the enable display area changes color upon successful completion of the required sequence of operations.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the display is incorporated within the powerhead.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the display is incorporated within the powerhead.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the display is incorporated within the powerhead.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is incorporated within the powerhead.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is incorporated within the powerhead.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is incorporated within the powerhead.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is incorporated within the powerhead.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is incorporated into a portion of the injector outside of the powerhead.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is incorporated into a portion of the injector outside of the powerhead.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is incorporated into a portion of the injector outside of the powerhead.

14. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is incorporated into a portion of the injector outside of the powerhead.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising an enable button, wherein the display identifies each step of the plurality of steps that remains to be done if an operator presses the enable button before completing the required sequence of operations.

16. The system of claim 2, further comprising an enable button, wherein the display identifies each step of the plurality of steps that remains to be done if an operator presses the enable button before completing the required sequence of operations.

17. The system of claim 3, further comprising an enable button, wherein the display identifies each step of the plurality of steps that remains to be done if an operator presses the enable button before completing the required sequence of operations.

18. The system of claim 4, further comprising an enable button, wherein the display identifies each step of the plurality of steps that remains to be done if an operator presses the enable button before completing the required sequence of operations.

19. The system of claim 5, further comprising an enable button, wherein the display identifies each step of the plurality of steps that remains to be done if an operator presses the enable button before completing the required sequence of operations.

20. The system of claim 6, further comprising an enable button, wherein the display identifies each step of the plurality of steps that remains to be done if an operator presses the enable button before completing the required sequence of operations.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the required sequence comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

22. The system of claim 2, wherein the required sequence comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

23. The system of claim 3, wherein the required sequence comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

24. The system of claim 4, wherein the required sequence comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

25. The system of claim 5, wherein the required sequence comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

26. The system of claim 6, wherein the required sequence comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

27. The system of claim 7, wherein the required sequence comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

28. Within a contrast media injector system that includes a powerhead configured to control delivery of a fluid via a fluid container, a method of operation for the contrast media injector system, the method comprising:

monitoring powerhead activity of a user to determine whether the user has performed a required sequence of operations with a powerhead of the injector system prior to initiating execution of an injection protocol, wherein the required sequence of operations comprises a plurality of steps that each must be completed by the user before the contrast media injector system may be enabled for initiating an injection in accordance with the injection protocol, wherein the monitoring step monitors for completion of each step of the plurality of steps;

identifying each step of the plurality of steps that remains to be done before the injector can be enabled; and

generating an interactive user interface to the user, wherein the generating comprises providing a first visual change in response to a completion of the required sequence of operations to convey to the user that the injector may thereafter be enabled, wherein the identifying step is executed before the generating step.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

changing an appearance of a displayed enable display area upon successful completion of the required sequence of operations.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

changing a color of the enable display area upon successful completion of the required sequence of operations.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

executing the identifying step on a display in response to pressing an enable button before completion of the required sequence of operations.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

executing the identifying step on a display in response to pressing an enable button before completion of the required sequence of operations.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

executing the identifying step on a display in response to pressing an enable button before completion of the required sequence of operations.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the required sequence of operations comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the required sequence of operations comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the required sequence of operations comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the required sequence of operations comprises one or more of:

tilting the injector;

movement of an injector ram rearward from a fully forward position that is indicative of filling a syringe;

forward movement of an injector ram that is indicative of air purging from a syringe; and

an opening and closing of an injector component that is indicative of syringe replacement.