System and method for improved fluid delivery in multi-fluid injector systems

Abstract

A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel includes delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, and adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the method comprising:
 delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate; 
 delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate, wherein the second fluid is less viscous than the first fluid; and 
 adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller wherein the adjusting is based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises pulling back a plunger of a second fluid syringe containing the second fluid to reduce a capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein pulling back the plunger of the second fluid syringe comprises pulling back the plunger a distance equal to the capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger is controlled by a controller. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger by the controller is based on information based on one or more of fluid viscosities, catheter size, capacitance of the second fluid syringe and a volume of fluid in a fluid injection system. 
     
     
         8 . A multi-fluid injection system configured to maintain an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the system comprising:
 a processor configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to:
 deliver at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate; 
 deliver at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate wherein the second fluid is less viscous than the first fluid; and 
 adjust at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid. 
 
 
     
     
         9 . The multi-fluid injection system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to increase a transition time between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid and delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-fluid injection system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the multi-fluid injection system to delay the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-fluid injection system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the controller adjusts at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises the controller pulling back a plunger of a second fluid syringe containing the second fluid to reduce a capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe. 
     
     
         12 . A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient’s blood vessel, the method comprising:
 delivering at least a first fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a first flow rate, wherein the first fluid is less viscous than the second fluid; 
 delivering at least a second fluid into the patient’s blood vessel at a second flow rate; and 
 adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises delaying the delivery of one of the first fluid and the second fluid until the other of the first fluid and the second fluid reaches a predetermined flow rate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises adjusting one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate using a controller wherein the adjusting is based on the other of the first flow rate and the second flow rate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein adjusting at least one of the first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate comprises pulling back a plunger of a second fluid syringe containing the second fluid to reduce a capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pulling back the plunger of the second fluid syringe comprises pulling back the plunger a distance equal to the capacitance volume of the second fluid syringe. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger is controlled by a controller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the pulling back of the plunger by the controller is based on information based on one or more of fluid viscosities, catheter size, capacitance of the second fluid syringe and a volume of fluid in a fluid injection system.