Infusion system for short-lived radiopharmaceuticals

Abstract

A non-surgical method of delivering a liquid radioactive solution from a source to a recipient comprising the steps of: determining a desired recipient level of radioactivity and recipient volume of the radioactive solution to be delivered to the recipient, providing a first valve having a waste position and a recipient position, providing a bolus conduit, a waste conduit and a recipient conduit, each conduit having a valve end being connected to said first valve, so that the first valve can establish a waste flow path in the waste position and a recipient flow path in the recipient position, the recipient flow path being different from said waste flow path, the bolus conduit comprising a measuring section and an internal volume, the internal volume being approximately equal to the desired recipient volume of the radioactive solution to be delivered to the recipient, arranging said first valve in the waste position, transporting a first amount of said radioactive solution through said waste flow path, the first amount of said radioactive solution having an initial level of radioactivity that is at least approximately equal to or higher than the desired recipient level of radioactivity and an initial volume that is larger than the internal volume of said bolus conduit, providing a radiation detector, the radiation detector being operable to measure a level of radioactivity of the radioactive solution in said measuring section, measuring a reference level of radioactivity of said radioactive solution present in said measuring section, wherein when the reference level of radioactivity is approximately equal to an injection level of radioactivity, the method further comprises the steps of: arranging the first valve in the recipient position, and transporting the radioactive solution present in the bolus conduit through the recipient flow path.

1 .- 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution from a source to a recipient, said system comprising:
 a radiation detector,   a first valve having a waste position and a recipient position,   a bolus conduit, a waste conduit and a recipient conduit, each conduit having a valve end being connected to said first valve, so that the first valve can establish a waste flow path in the waste position and a recipient flow path in the recipient position, the recipient flow path being different from said waste flow path,   wherein the waste flow path is defined by the bolus conduit and the waste conduit, and the recipient flow path is defined by the bolus conduit and the recipient conduit$   wherein the bolus conduit comprises a bolus inlet adapted to receive the radiopharmaceutical solution from the source, the waste conduit comprises a waste outlet adapted for flow out of said waste conduit and the recipient conduit comprises a recipient outlet adapted for flow out of said recipient conduit to a recipient, wherein the bolus conduit comprises a measuring section and a specific internal volume, the radiation detector being operable to determine a reference level of radioactivity of the solution present in said measuring section,   characterized in that the waste flow path establishes liquid communication between said bolus inlet and said waste outlet, and the recipient flow path establishes liquid communication between the bolus inlet and the recipient outlet.   
     
     
         7 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution from a source to a recipient according to  claim 6 , said system comprising:
 a second valve having an inlet position and a flushing position,   a flushing conduit and a source conduit, each conduit having a valve end being connected to said second valve, the source conduit being adapted for transporting the radioactive solution from the source into the bolus conduit, when the second valve is in the inlet position,   a flushing liquid reservoir comprising a flushing liquid, said flushing liquid reservoir being connected to said flushing conduit,   a flushing device being adapted for transporting the flushing liquid from the flushing liquid reservoir through said flushing conduit and into the bolus conduit, when the second valve is in the flushing position.   
     
     
         8 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 6 , wherein a second radiation detector and/or a bubble detector arranged adjacent to the recipient conduit. 
     
     
         9 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution according to wherein the specific internal volume of the bolus conduit is approximately 0.1-50 ml. 
     
     
         10 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 6 , wherein the radioactive solution comprises a radiopharmaceutical having a radioactive half-life of less than 21 minutes. 
     
     
         11 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 6 , wherein said recipient is a device for intravenous (IV) administration of said liquid radioactive solution in said bolus conduit into a human or animal body. 
     
     
         12 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 6 , wherein;
 an injection speed of the radioactive solution to the recipient is approximately 0.05-7 ml/second, and/or   the liquid radioactive solution in the bolus conduit is moved out of said bolus conduit in less than approximately 5 seconds, and/or   the liquid radioactive solution is transported out of said recipient conduit and to said recipient in less than approximately 10 seconds.   
     
     
         13 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 6 , wherein the measuring section is spiral-shaped or helically shaped or coil shaped. 
     
     
         14 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 13 , wherein a part of the radiation detector is arranged within the measuring section, so that said measuring section wreathes said part of the radiation detector, the radiation detector being operable to determine a level of radioactivity of the solution in the measuring section. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A non-surgical method of dosing a liquid radioactive solution having a desired final level of radioactivity and a final volume comprising the steps of:
 determining said desired final level of radioactivity and final volume of the radioactive solution to be produced,   providing a first valve having a waste position and a dosing position,   providing a bolus conduit, a waste conduit and a dosing conduit, each conduit having a valve end being connected to said first valve, so that the first valve can establish a waste flow path in the waste position and a dosing flow path in the dosing position, the dosing flow path being different from said waste flow path, the bolus conduit comprising a measuring section and an internal volume, the internal volume being approximately equal to the desired final volume of the radioactive solution,   arranging said first valve in the waste position,   transporting a first amount of said radioactive solution through said waste flow path, the first amount of said radioactive solution having an initial level of radioactivity that is at least approximately equal to or higher than the desired final level of radioactivity and an initial volume that is larger than the internal volume of said bolus conduit,   providing a radiation detector, the radiation detector being operable to measure a level of radioactivity of the radioactive solution in said measuring section,   measuring a reference level of radioactivity of said radioactive solution present in said measuring section,   characterized in that when the reference level of radioactivity is approximately equal to an pre-final level of radioactivity, the method further comprises the steps of:   arranging the first valve in the dosing position, and   transporting the radioactive solution present in the bolus conduit through the dosing flow path,   
       so that the radioactive solution has the desired final level of radioactivity when said radioactive solution reaches the end of the dosing flow path. 
     
     
         17 . A non-surgical method of dosing a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 16 , wherein the pre-final level of radioactivity of the radioactive solution differs at most ±10% from the desired final level of radioactivity. 
     
     
         18 . A non-surgical method of dosing a liquid radioactive solution according to  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second valve having an inlet position and a flushing position,   providing a flushing conduit and a source conduit, each conduit having a valve end being connected to said second valve, the source conduit being adapted for transporting the first amount of said radioactive solution from the source into the bolus conduit, when the second valve is in the inlet position,   providing a flushing liquid reservoir comprising a flushing liquid, said flushing liquid reservoir being connected to said flushing conduit,   providing a flushing device being adapted for transporting the flushing liquid from the flushing liquid reservoir through said flushing conduit and into the bolus conduit, when the second valve is in the flushing position.   
     
     
         19 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution from a source to a recipient according to  claim 6 , wherein said bolus has a substantially cylindrical body or delimitation and an unvarying (homogeneous) radioactivity profile throughout the volume of the bolus. 
     
     
         31 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution from a source to a recipient according to  claim 6 , wherein the recipient is a device, such as a receptacle, an IV bag or a catheter. 
     
     
         32 . An infusion system for delivering a liquid radioactive solution from a source to a recipient according to  claim 6 , wherein the recipient comprises a human patient in fluid communication with the system, so that the radioactive solution may be transferred directly to the patient.