Power injector device and method of use

Abstract

Automated injection system disclosed in this application advantageously provides physicians with a simplified interface for selecting fluid sources, such as saline, contrast, or a mixture of both, to inject at high pressures. The injector system may comprise a multi-use subassembly, a single-use subassembly, a fitting to fluidly connect the multi-use and single-use subassemblies, a hand held controller, a user interface, and an injector housing.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for an operator to inject fluids into a patient using an injection apparatus, the method comprising:
 the apparatus drawing a first fluid through a first valve and into a first container, drawing a second fluid through a second valve and into a second container, the first valve being disposed in a first valve fill position when the first fluid is drawn into the first container, and the second valve being disposed in a second valve fill position when the second fluid is drawn into the second container; and   the apparatus injecting the first fluid and the second fluid into a patient by moving the first valve to a first inject position, moving the second valve to a second inject position, displacing the first fluid from the first container and through the first valve in the first inject position, and displacing the second fluid from the second container and through the second valve in the second inject position.   
     
     
         22 . A method of  claim 21  further comprising the operator specifying a ratio of an amount of the first fluid displaced from the first container to the amount of the second fluid displaced from the second container. 
     
     
         23 . A method of  claim 21 , the first fluid comprising saline and the second fluid comprising contrast. 
     
     
         24 . A method of  claim 21 , the apparatus comprising a multi-use subassembly comprising the first valve, the first container, the second valve, and the second container. 
     
     
         25 . A method of  claim 24 , the apparatus further comprising a single-use subassembly in fluid connection with the multi-use subassembly, the single-use subassembly comprising a first line for receiving the first fluid from the multi-use subassembly, a second line for receiving the second fluid from the multi-use subassembly, a junction connected to the first line and the second line and permitting mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid, and a patient line connected to the junction and for receiving a mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid and conveying the mixture to the patient. 
     
     
         26 . A method of  claim 24 , the apparatus further comprising injector housing, the multi-use subassembly residing in the injector housing, the injector housing comprising a first valve actuator for actuating the first valve and a second valve actuator for actuating the second valve. 
     
     
         27 . A method of  claim 21 , the apparatus comprising a computer processor controlling the drawing of the first fluid, the drawing of the second fluid, the injecting of the first fluid, and the injecting of the second fluid. 
     
     
         28 . An injection apparatus comprising:
 a multi-use subassembly comprising a first valve in fluid communication with a first container, and a second valve in fluid communication with a second container;   an injector housing supporting the multi-use subassembly and comprising a first valve actuator and a second valve actuator; and   a processor, the processor being configured to control operations comprising:   actuating the first valve actuator to move the first valve to a first valve fill position,   actuating the second valve actuator to move the second valve to a second valve fill position,   drawing a first fluid through the first valve in the first valve fill position and into the first container,   drawing of a second fluid through the second valve in the second valve fill position and into the second container,   actuating the first valve actuator to move the first valve to a first inject position,   actuating the second valve actuator to move the second valve to a second inject position,   displacing the first fluid from the first container and the through the first valve in the first inject position, and   displacing the second fluid from the second container and the through the second valve in the second inject position.   
     
     
         29 . An apparatus of  claim 28 , the processor being programed to control a ratio of an amount of the first fluid displaced from the first container relative to an amount of the second fluid displaced from the second container. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus of  claim 28 , including a supply of the first fluid and a supply of the second fluid, the first fluid comprising saline and the second fluid comprising contrast. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus of  claim 28 , the injector housing further comprising a first piston for drawing the first fluid into the first container and displacing the first fluid from the first container, and a second piston for drawing the second fluid into the second container and displacing the second fluid from the second container. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising a single-use subassembly in fluid connection with the multi-use subassembly, the single-use subassembly comprising a first line for receiving the first fluid from the multi-use subassembly, a second line for receiving the second fluid from the multi-use subassembly, a junction connected to the first line and the second line and permitting mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid, and a patient line connected to the junction and for receiving a mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid and conveying the mixture to a patient.