Thermodilution injector

Claim 2

An injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; support means on said body for receiving a syringe; actuator means in said body responsive to pressur-ized fluid to actuate said syringe, said actuator means having a movable output member; connecting means for connecting said actuator means output member to a syringe in said support means; a source of pressurized fluid for said actuator means; regulating means in said body for maintaining at a substantially constant level the pressure of pressurized fluid delivered from said pressurized fluid source in said body to said actuator means whereby said actuator means output member will move at a substantially constant rate; and control means in said body for controlling delivery of the pressurized fluid to said actuator means.

Claim 3

An injector as in claim 1 wherein: said control means selectively communicates with said actuator means to deliver pressurized fluid to operate said actuator means in forward and reverse directions.

Claim 4

An injector as in claim 2 including: means to reduce the rate of travel of said actuator means in the reverse direction below the rate of travel in the forward direction.

Claim 5

An injector as in claim 1 wherein said control means includes: two position four way valve means with detent means to hold the valve means in either of the two positions.

Claim 6

An injector as in claim 6 wherein: said actuator means is a piston having a rod ex-tending out of said body toward said holder; and said connecting means is an adapter on the end of said rod shaped to receive and engage the end of a syringe plunger.

Claim 7

A thermodilution injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; support means on said body for receiving a syringe; actuator means in said body responsive to pressurized fluid to actuate said syringe; connecting means for connecting said actuator means to a syringe in said support means; a source of pressurized fluid in said body for said actuator means; first regulating means in said body for regulating the pressure of pressurized fluid delivered to said actuator means; second regulating means in said body for varying the pressure of pressurized fluid delivered to said actuator means; and control means for controlling the delivery of press-urized fluid to said actuator means; said control means being normally in a first position to deliver pressurized fluid to drive said actuator means in a first direction and being movable by an actuating signal to a second position to drive said actuator means in a second direc-tion, said control means returning to said first position upon cessation of the actuating signal.

Claim 8

A thermodilution injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; support means on said body for receiving a syringe; actuator means in said body responsive to pressurized fluid to actuate said syringe; connecting means for connecting said actuator means to a syringe in said support means; a source of pressurized fluid in said body for said actuator means; first regulating means in said body for regulating the pressure of pressurized fluid delivered to said actuator means; second regulating means in said body for varying the pressure of pressurized fluid delivered to said actuator means; and control means for controlling the delivery of press-urized fluid to said actuator means; said control means being normally in a first position to deliver pressurized fluid to drive said actuator means in a first direction and being movable by an actuating signal to a second position to drive said actuator means in a second direc-tion, said control means returning to said first position upon cessation of the actuating signal.

Claim 9

A thermodilution injector as in claim 6 wherein: said second regulating means has an unactuated position to terminate flow of pressurized fluid to said actuator means and is adjustable from said normal position by an actuating signal, said second regulating means returning to said un-actuated position upon cessation of said actuating signal.

Claim 10

A thermodilution injector as in claim 7 wherein: said second regulating means is between said first regulating means and said control means.

Claim 11

A thermodilution injector as in claim 7 wherein: said control means is spring loaded toward said first position; and said second regulating means is spring loaded toward said unactuated position.

Claim 12

A thermodilution injector as in claim 9 wherein: said first regulating means is a pressure regulator having desired output pressure; and said second regulating means is a variable pressure regulator having a variable output pressure.

Claim 13

An injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; support means on said body for receiving a syringe, actuator means in said body responsive to pressurized fluid to actuate said syringe, said actuator means having a moveable output member; connecting means for connecting said actuator means output member to a syringe in said support means; regulating means for regulating the pressure of pressurized fluid to said actuator means, said regulating means being positioned in said body and maintaining at a substantially constant level the pressure of pressurized fluid delivered from said pressurized fluid source to said actuator means whereby said actuator means output member will move at a substantially constant rate; control means in said body for controlling delivery of the pressurized fluid to said actuator means; a delivery line connected to said syringe; radioactive shield means protecting part of said delivery line; and injection site means connected to said delivery line to introduce radioactive material to said part of said delivery line protected by said shield.

Claim 14

An injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; support means on said body for receiving a syringe, actuator means in said body responsive to pressurized fluid to actuate said syringe, said actuator means having a moveable output member; connecting means for connecting said actuator means output member to a syringe in said support means; regulating means for regulating the pressure of pressurized fluid to said actuator means, said regulating means being positioned in said body and maintaining at a substantially constant level the pressure of pressurized fluid delivered from said pressurized fluid source to said actuator means whereby said actuator means output member will move at a substantially constant rate; control means in said body for controlling delivery of the pressurized fluid to said actuator means; a delivery line connected to said syringe; radioactive shield means protecting part of said delivery line; and injection site means connected to said delivery line to introduce radioactive material to said part of said delivery line protected by said shield.

Claim 15

An injector as in claim 11 wherein: said injection site means is upstream of said shield in the direction of flow through said delivery line.

Claim 16

An injector as in claim 12 wherein: said injection site means is a Y injection site.

Claim 17

An injector as in claim 11 wherein: said control means is normally urged to a first position to prevent the flow of pressurized fluid to said actuator means and vent said actuator means; and said control means is movable from said first position upon receipt of an actuating signal to deliver pressur-ized fluid to said actuator means to deliver said radioactive material in a discrete bolus to a patient.

Claim 18

An injector set as in claim 11 wherein: said injection site means is upstream of said shield in the direction of flow through said delivery line.

Claim 19

An injector set as in claim 12 wherein: said injection site means is a Y injection site.

Claim 20

An injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; support means on said body for receiving a syringe; bidirectional actuator means in said body, said actuator means having an output member movable in forward and reverse directions in response to pressurized fluid to actuate said syringe; connecting means for connecting said actuator means output member to a syringe in said support means; a source of pressurized fluid for said actuating means; regulating means in said body for regulating the press-ure of pressurized fluid delivered to said actuator means, control means in said body for controlling delivery of the pressurized fluid to said actuator means to determine the direction of movement of said actuator means; and means to reduce the rate of travel of said actuator means in one direction below the rate of travel in the other direction.

Claim 21

An injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; support means on said body for receiving a syringe; bidirectional actuator means in said body, said actuator means having an output member movable in forward and reverse directions in response to pressurized fluid to actuate said syringe; connecting means for connecting said actuator means output member to a syringe in said support means; a source of pressurized fluid for said actuating means; regulating means in said body for regulating the press-ure of pressurized fluid delivered to said actuator means, control means in said body for controlling delivery of the pressurized fluid to said actuator means to determine the direction of movement of said actuator means; and means to reduce the rate of travel of said actuator means in one direction below the rate of travel in the other direction.

Claim 22

An injector as in claim 17 wherein said one direction is the reverse direction commensurate with aspiration of a syringe and said other direction is the forward direction to operate a syringe for delivery of fluid therein.

Claim 23

An injector as in claim 17 wherein said control means includes: two position four way valve means with detent means to hold the valve means in either of the two positions.

Claim 24

An injector as in claim 17 wherein said connecting means includes: a pair of spaced apart arms extending from said body; a syringe holder connected to said spaced apart arms; and retainer means on said holder for retaining a syringe in fixed position relative to said holder.

Claim 25

An injector as in claim 20 wherein: said actuator means is a piston having a rod extending out of said body toward said holder; and said connecting means is an adapter on the end of said rod shaped to receive and engage the end of a syringe plunger.

Claim 26

An injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; a pair of spaced apart arms extending from said body; a syringe holder connected to said spaced apart arms; retainer means on said holder for retaining a syringe in fixed position relative to said holder; movable actuator means in said body, said actuator means having an output member, said actuator means being res-ponsive to pressurized fluid; means for connecting said actuator means output member to a syringe in said holder whereby said actuator means will operate the syringe; a source of pressurized fluid for said actuator means, said source of pressurized fluid being internally contained in said body; regulating means in said body for regulating the pre-ssure of pressurized fluid delivered from said pressurized fluid source in said body to said actuator means; and control means in said body for controlling delivery of the pressurized fluid to said actuator means.

Claim 27

An injector for delivering injectate to a patient including: a body; a pair of spaced apart arms extending from said body; a syringe holder connected to said spaced apart arms; retainer means on said holder for retaining a syringe in fixed position relative to said holder; movable actuator means in said body, said actuator means having an output member, said actuator means being res-ponsive to pressurized fluid; means for connecting said actuator means output member to a syringe in said holder whereby said actuator means will operate the syringe; a source of pressurized fluid for said actuator means, said source of pressurized fluid being internally contained in said body; regulating means in said body for regulating the pre-ssure of pressurized fluid delivered from said pressurized fluid source in said body to said actuator means; and control means in said body for controlling delivery of the pressurized fluid to said actuator means.