Fluid injection system having various systems for controlling an injection procedure

Abstract

A fluid injection system that includes an injector head having a syringe for delivering a fluid to a patient; a mounting structure pivotally connected to the injector head and configured to support the injector head above a surface; and a control system operationally coupled to the injector head for controlling an injection procedure is disclosed. The fluid injection system is provided with various sensors to control various aspects of the fluid injection system, such as the establishment of a reference plane, the determination of a tilt angle of the injector head, and the determination of a temperature of an actuation system of the injector head.

1 .- 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A fluid injection system comprising:
 an injector head for delivering a fluid to a patient;   a plurality of sensors positioned within the injector head for generating signals indicative of the status of the injector head;   a control system operationally coupled to the injector head and the plurality of sensors for controlling an injection procedure; and   a display unit operationally coupled to the control system,   wherein, based on the signals generated by the plurality of sensors, the control system generates a list of actions on the display unit that must be completed by a user before the injector head can be armed to perform the injection procedure.   
     
     
         40 . The fluid injection system of  claim 39 , wherein, as one of the plurality of sensors determines that the user has completed an action from the list of actions, the action is removed from the list of actions on the display unit. 
     
     
         41 . The fluid injection system of  claim 39 , wherein the list of actions is provided in a box displayed on the display unit. 
     
     
         42 . The fluid injection system of  claim 41 , wherein the box is removed from the display unit when every action on the list of actions has been completed. 
     
     
         43 . The fluid injection system of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one of: a sensor configured to provide a signal to the control system to determine if a syringe has been loaded into the injector head; a sensor configured to provide a signal to the control system to determine if a syringe retaining wall of the injector head has been properly positioned; a sensor configured to provide a signal to the control system to determine if a plunger of the syringe has been advanced; a sensor configured to provide a signal to the control system of a position of the injector head. 
     
     
         44 . The fluid injection system of  claim 39 , wherein the list of actions includes at least one of the following actions: load syringe, engage drop front, advance plunger, rotate injector head down to arm, rotate syringe and remove, disconnect patient, flow rate reduced, calibration needed, rotate head up and purge, injection complete, procedure halt —display touch, procedure halt—head touch, procedure halt—start switch, procedure halt—ISI, and procedure halt—low volume. 
     
     
         45 . The fluid injection system of  claim 39 , wherein the display unit has a graphical user interface for allowing the user to control the injection procedure and for displaying the list of actions. 
     
     
         46 . The fluid injection system of  claim 45 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a first area with at least one button for sending a signal to the control system to arm the injector head and a second area for displaying the list of actions. 
     
     
         47 . The fluid injection system of  claim 46 , wherein the at least one button is inoperable until each action in the list of actions has been completed by the user. 
     
     
         48 . The fluid injection system of  claim 39 , wherein the control system alerts the user when every action on the list of actions has been completed. 
     
     
         49 . The fluid injection system of  claim 39 , further comprising a mounting structure pivotally connected to the injector head and configured to support the injector head. 
     
     
         50 . The fluid injection system of  claim 49 , wherein the mounting structure comprises:
 a mobile base positioned on a floor;   a pole extending from the mobile base above the floor; and   a first support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the pole and a second end pivotally coupled to the injector head.   
     
     
         51 . The fluid injection system of  claim 49 , wherein the mounting structure further comprises a second support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the pole and a second end pivotally coupled to the display unit. 
     
     
         52 . A method of controlling an injection procedure comprising:
 providing a fluid injection system comprising:
 an injector head for delivering a fluid to a patient; 
 a plurality of sensors positioned within the injector head for generating signals indicative of the status of the injector head; 
 a control system operationally coupled to the injector head and the plurality of sensors for controlling an injection procedure; and 
 a display unit operationally coupled to the control system, 
   generating a list of actions, based on the signals generated by the plurality of sensors, that must be completed by a user before the injector head can be armed to perform the injection procedure;   displaying the list of actions on the display unit.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising removing an action from the list of actions on the display unit as one of the plurality of sensors determines that the user has completed the action from the list of actions. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the list of actions is provided in a box displayed on the display unit; and the method further comprises: removing the box from the display unit when every action on the list of actions has been completed. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the list of actions includes at least one of the following actions: load syringe, engage drop front, advance plunger, rotate injector head down to arm, rotate syringe and remove, disconnect patient, flow rate reduced, calibration needed, rotate head up and purge, injection complete, procedure halt—display touch, procedure halt—head touch, procedure halt—start switch, procedure halt—ISI, and procedure halt—low volume. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the display unit has a graphical user interface for allowing the user to control the injection procedure and for displaying the list of actions. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a first area with at least one button for sending a signal to the control system to arm the injector head and a second area for displaying the list of actions. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the at least one button is inoperable until each action in the list of actions has been completed by the user.