Injector system and fluid control device providing air purging and sharp bolus injection

Abstract

An injector system includes a source of injection fluid, a pump device, a fluid path set disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device, a fluid control device operatively associated with the fluid path set and a hand held control device for controlling the flow rate of the injection fluid. The hand held control device includes a piston slideably disposed within a chamber and adapted to engage a switch that controls the flow rate of the injection fluid. The fluid control device is adapted to permit purging of air from the fluid path set and to stop flow of the injection fluid to a patient at substantially any pressure or flow rate generated by the pump device for delivering a sharp bolus of the injection fluid to the patient. The fluid control device is preferably part of the fluid path set between the source of injection fluid and the pump device.

1 . An injector system comprising: 
 a source of injection fluid;    a pump device;    a fluid path set disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device;    a fluid control device operatively associated with the fluid path set and adapted to stop the flow of the injection fluid to a patient at substantially any pressure or flow rate generated by the pump device for delivering a sharp bolus of the injection fluid to the patient; and    a hand held control device for controlling the flow rate of the injection fluid, the hand held control device comprising a piston slideably disposed within a chamber and adapted to engage a switch that controls the flow rate of the injection fluid.    
   
   
       2 . The injector system of  claim 1  wherein the piston and the switch are configured such that the farther the piston is depressed into the chamber the greater the flow rate of the injection fluid.  
   
   
       3 . The injector system of  claim 1  wherein a spring is disposed within the chamber and is associated with the piston, such that the further the piston is depressed into the chamber the more tactile resistance a user of the hand held control device experiences when operating the hand held control device.  
   
   
       4 . The injector system of  claim 1  wherein the hand held control device is adapted to provide audio or visual feedback to a user of the hand held control device indicating the flow rate of the injection fluid from the pump device.  
   
   
       5 . A method of purging air from a fluid delivery system comprising a source of injection fluid, a pump device, and a fluid path set comprising a fluid control device disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device, the method comprising: 
 actuating the fluid control device to permit fluid communication between the pump device and the source of injection fluid;    actuating the pump device to draw injection fluid from the source of injection fluid into the pump device; and    actuating the pump device in a different mode to purge air from the fluid path set into the source of injection fluid.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 using a hand held control device to control the pump device.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the pump device comprises a syringe.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the first step or act of actuating the pump device comprises moving a syringe plunger in a proximal direction within the syringe to draw injection fluid into the syringe from the source of injection fluid.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second step or act of actuating the pump device comprises reversing the direction of the syringe plunger in the syringe to purge air from the fluid path set.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the fluid control device comprises an automated multi-position valve.