Method and device for pre-filling a syringe with a contrast agent

Abstract

A method and device for filling a syringe with a chemical solution such as a contrast agent is disclosed. The device has a cylinder holder, a piston holder, a driving mechanism to move the piston holder relative to the cylinder holder, a keyboard to input test conditions, and a computer. Based on the test conditions, the computer calculates the volume of the chemical solution necessary for a patient. The piston holder is allowed to aspirate the precise volume necessary for the patient from a bottle where the chemical solution is stored. Thus the correct and necessary volume of the chemical solution is transferred from the bottle to the syringe, which minimizes the waste of the chemical solution.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A filling device for filling a syringe with a chemical solution stored in a container, the syringe having a barrel and a piston, the filling device comprising: 
 a cylinder holder adapted to hold the syringe barrel;    a piston holder adapted to hold the syringe piston;    a syringe detector for detecting the presence of a syringe in the device;    a driving mechanism attached to the piston holder, the driving mechanism being capable of moving the piston holder relative to the cylinder holder in a forward and a reverse direction;    an input mechanism adapted to receive inputted test conditions;    a calculation portion to calculate an appropriate volume of the chemical solution based on the test conditions;    whereby the driving mechanism moves the piston holder according to the volume calculated by the calculation portion in the filling direction if and only if the syringe is present in the device.    
     
     
         2 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the syringe detector is a photoelectric monitor that detects the presence of a syringe component.  
     
     
         3 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the syringe detector is a current monitor that detects the level of current used to operate the driving motor.  
     
     
         4 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the chemical solution is a contrast agent for X-ray CT, magnetic resonance imaging, angiography or urography.  
     
     
         5 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the device further comprises a data storage mechanism.  
     
     
         6 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the input mechanism is a keyboard.  
     
     
         7 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the calculation portion is a computer.  
     
     
         8 . The filling device according to    claim 4   , wherein the data storage mechanism is a data storage system in a computer.  
     
     
         9 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the driving mechanism comprises a stepping motor, a ball screw shaft, and a ball screw nut engaged with the ball screw shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the driving mechanism and the calculation mechanism are accommodated in one housing.  
     
     
         11 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the test conditions are selected from the group consisting of: 
 scanning condition, test region, patient's weight, and contrast agent description.    
     
     
         12 . The filling device according to    claim 1   , wherein the test conditions include an indication of the cross-sectional area of the syringe.  
     
     
         13 . A syringe filling system comprising: 
 a) a syringe having a piston with a piston flange and a barrel of a known cross-sectional area;    b) a barrel holder adapted for holding the piston barrel;    c) a piston holder adapted for receiving the piston flange, the piston holder capable of movement relative to the barrel holder;    d) a driving mechanism attached to the piston holder, the driving mechanism moving in response to a driving signal;    e) a data receiving interface for receiving test conditions;    f) a processing unit for calculating a volume in response to test conditions; and    g) a signal generator that generates a driving signal to instruct the driving mechanism to move the piston holder solely in the reverse direction to aspirate and sufficiently fill the syringe according to the calculated volume.    
     
     
         14 . The syringe filling system of    claim 13   , further comprising a bottle containing a fluid, and a connecting tube connecting the bottle to the syringe, wherein the driving signal compensates for the dead space in the connecting tube.  
     
     
         15 . The syringe filling system of    claim 13   , further comprising a means for determining the cross-sectional area of the syringe.  
     
     
         16 . The syringe filling system of    claim 13   , wherein the data receiving interface is a computer to computer interface for receiving data from a separate computer containing patient data.  
     
     
         17 . The syringe filling system of    claim 13   , further comprising a data storage media containing standard usage information regarding the use of at least one contrast agent, wherein the processing unit uses the information in the data storage media along with the test conditions to calculate the volume.  
     
     
         18 . A method for filling a syringe with a chemical solution by transferring the chemical solution stored in a container to the syringe, comprising the steps of: 
 a) mounting a syringe barrel and a piston to a cylinder holder and a piston holder, respectively, equipped in a filling device,    b) connecting the tip of the syringe to a connecting tube attached to the container storing the chemical solution,    c) inputting test conditions with an input means in the filling device,    d) calculating necessary volume of the chemical solution for administration with a calculating means in the filling device,    e) detecting the presence of the syringe within the filling device;    f) moving the piston holder based on the calculated chemical solution volume, if and only if the syringe presence is detected, whereby the necessary volume of the chemical solution is aspirated from the container and fills the syringe.    
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein the process of inputting the test conditions includes inputting an indication of the size of the syringe barrel.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 18   , further comprising the step of determining the cross-sectional area of the syringe.