System and method for syringe fluid fill verification and image recognition of power injector system features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024350745-A1
Application number	US-202418758843-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2024
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Oct 24, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fluid injection system and a fluid verification system for determining the operating status of the fluid injection system, for example by confirming that a fluid reservoir, containing a fluid for injection, is fully filled with fluid and has free space (i.e., air) near the distal end thereof when the syringe is provided in an upright position nor contains air bubbles. Imaging processing techniques, methods, and systems are also provided to determine various injection parameters and to verify the type and certain properties of fluid that is present within the fluid reservoir.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A fluid injector system, the system comprising:
a plunger configured for being slidably disposed in a barrel of a syringe, wherein the plunger comprises a distal plunger cover at least partially formed from a transparent or translucent material configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethrough; a piston configured for engaging the plunger and slidably moving the plunger in a proximal or distal direction within the barrel of the syringe; and at least one electromagnetic radiation source disposed below the plunger cover and configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation through the transparent or translucent material of the distal plunger cover toward a distal end of the barrel of the syringe, wherein the electromagnetic radiation passing through the transparent or translucent material of the distal plunger cover forms an illuminated identification pattern in the form of a halo at a predetermined portion of a conical surface of a distal end of the syringe.

2 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electromagnetic radiation source is selected from the group consisting of a laser of a specific wavelength, a source of polarized electromagnetic radiation, a source of certain electromagnetic radiation having certain wavelengths, a pulsatile electromagnetic radiation source having a predetermined pulse sequence, a light emitting diode, a standard light bulb, and combinations thereof.

3 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electromagnetic radiation source emits light having a wavelength in an infrared region, a visible region, or an ultraviolet region of an electromagnetic spectrum.

4 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electromagnetic radiation source emits light having a wavelength in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

5 . The fluid injector system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one electromagnetic radiation source is a light emitting diode that emits light at a wavelength in a visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

6 . The fluid injector system of claim 5 , wherein the light emitting diode emits light at wavelengths corresponding to blue light or green light in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

7 . The fluid injector system of claim 6 , wherein the light emitting diode emitting light at the wavelengths corresponding to blue light is associated with the syringe having saline as the fluid contained therein.

8 . The fluid injector system of claim 6 , wherein the light emitting diode emitting light at the wavelengths corresponding to green light is associated with the syringe having a contrast solution as the fluid contained therein.

9 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the distal plunger cover is formed from a translucent material.

10 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein a color of the halo at the predetermined portion of the conical surface provides an indication of a system condition or state of the system.

11 . The fluid injector system of claim 10 , wherein the system condition or state of the system are selected from the group consisting of a type of fluid being used in the syringe, a size of the syringe, a volume of fluid in the syringe, a pressure within the syringe, and the presence of air within the syringe.

12 . The fluid injector system of claim 10 , wherein the system condition or state of the system comprises determining the presence of air within the syringe.

13 . The fluid injector system of claim 12 , wherein when the syringe is filled with a liquid, the electromagnetic radiation passing through the plunger cover forms the illuminated identification pattern in the form of the halo at the predetermined portion of the conical surface of the syringe and when the syringe is filled or partially filled with air, the electromagnetic radiation passing through the plunger cover does not form the illuminated identification pattern in the form of the halo at the predetermined portion of the conical surface of the syringe.

14 . The fluid injector system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one electromagnetic radiation source emits light having a wavelength in the infrared region or the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, the system further comprising a sensor or cameral capable of detecting the halo having a wavelength within the infrared region or the ultraviolet region.

15 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is configured to emit pulses of electromagnetic radiation in a predetermined and identifiable sequence.

16 . A method for detecting the presence of air in a syringe, the method comprising:
placing the syringe in a vertical position such that a nozzle of the syringe is higher than the proximal end of the syringe; shining electromagnetic radiation from at least one electromagnetic radiation source in a piston head of a fluid injector through at least a portion of a transparent or translucent plunger cover of a plunger slidably disposed withing a syringe; transmitting the electromagnetic radiation through the contents of the syringe from a distal surface of the plunger cover to a conical surface of a distal end of the syringe; observing the conical surface of the distal end of the syringe for the appearance or nonappearance of an illuminated identification pattern in the form of a halo at a predetermined portion of a conical surface, wherein the appearance of the illuminated identification pattern indicates that the syringe is completely filled with a liquid fluid and wherein the nonappearance of the illuminated identification pattern indicates that the syringe contains a volume of air; and stopping a fluid injection procedure when the observing step indicates that the syringe contains a volume of air when the illuminated identification pattern is not observed.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
after stopping the fluid injection procedure due to the presence of the volume of air, priming the volume of air from the syringe.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising, after priming the volume of air from the syringe, re-observing the conical surface of the distal end of the syringe for the appearance or nonappearance of an illuminated identification pattern in the form of a halo at a predetermined portion of a conical surface.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising continuing with the fluid injection procedure when the illuminated identification pattern is observed indicating that the syringe is completely filled with a liquid fluid.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one electromagnetic radiation source is a light emitting diode that emits light at a wavelength in a visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Assignees

• Bayer Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Cowan Kevin
• Spohn Michael
• Mcdermott Michael

Classifications

• G01F23/02

  by gauge glasses or other apparatus involving a window or transparent tube for directly observing the level to be measured or the level of a liquid column in free communication with the main body of the liquid · CPC title

• A61M2205/6081

  Colour codes · CPC title

• A61M2205/6072

  Bar codes · CPC title

• A61M2205/587

  Lighting arrangements · CPC title

• A61M2205/505

  Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches · CPC title