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A device for injection of a fluid into a patient includes a container adapted to hold the fluid and defining an outlet through which the fluid can exit the container. A pressurizing mechanism is in connection with the container for pressurizing the fluid, and an actuator is in fluid connection with

A device for injection of a fluid into a patient includes a container adapted to hold the fluid and defining an outlet through which the fluid can exit the container. A pressurizing mechanism is in connection with the container for pressurizing the fluid, and an actuator is in fluid connection with the outlet. The actuator has a first state in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the outlet and a second state in which fluid can flow through the outlet. The injection device further includes a flow regulator to control the flow rate of fluid in fluid connection with the outlet. The container, the pressurizing mechanism, the actuator and the flow regulator can be MR compatible, thereby making the device suitable for use in or near the bore of an MR scanner.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A device for injection of a fluid into a patient, comprising: (a) a syringe configured to hold the fluid and defining an outlet through which the fluid can exit therefrom, the syringe having a plunger slidably disposed therein and being adapted to be placed in fluid connectio

What is claimed is: 1. A device for injection of a fluid into a patient, comprising: (a) a syringe configured to hold the fluid and defining an outlet through which the fluid can exit therefrom, the syringe having a plunger slidably disposed therein and being adapted to be placed in fluid connection with the patient such that no more than one foot of connective tubing is required between the syringe and an injection point on the patient; (b) a pressurizing mechanism comprising a vacuum drive in operative connection with the plunger of the syringe for pressurizing the fluid therein, the vacuum drive including: (i) a housing defining at least one chamber therein in which a sealing member is slidably disposed, the sealing member being configured to retract from a closed end of the at least one chamber to a position away from the closed end and configured to enable at least a partial vacuum to be internally developed within the at least one chamber as the sealing member is slidably drawn away from the closed end thereof; and (ii) a force transfer member, linked to the sealing member within the at least one chamber, to which the plunger of the syringe operatively links when the syringe is secured to the housing; (c) an actuator connected to the outlet of the syringe, the actuator being configured to switch between a first state in which the fluid is prevented from flowing through the outlet and a second state in which the fluid can flow through the outlet; (d) a controller configured to control the state of the actuator; and (e) a flow regulator configured to regulate the rate at which the fluid flows from the outlet and thus into the patient; such that, upon the at least partial vacuum being established within the at least one chamber and the syringe being secured to the housing, when the actuator is switched to the second state, the force transfer member receives a force caused by the at least partial vacuum pulling the sealing member towards the closed end of the at least one chamber and transfers the force to the plunger of the syringe thereby causing the fluid contained therein to be expelled from the outlet. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein a mechanism of the actuator comprises a rotory valve, a pinch valve with tubing, a ratchet valve, a fusible link, a trumpet valve, a port closing valve, a pump system or a drive system. 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the mechanism of the actuator is powered by a vacuum drive, a piezoelectric drive, an electric motor drive, a solenoid drive, an electro resistive pump, a charged ion pump, a magneto restrictive material, a TCAM device, a shape memory alloy material, a state transition, a bi-metallic material, an electro-active polymeric material or gravity. 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is remote from the actuator. 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is untethered from the actuator. 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller controls the state of the actuator via ultrasound, via a protocol of an imaging scanner, via microwave energy, via a mechanical link, via infrared light, via fiber optic cable, via pneumatic power, via hydraulic power, via voice activation, via movement of a scanner table, via time delay, via an RF gradient trigger from a scanner, via a photo cell, via optical light, via an RF signal, or via line power. 7. The device of claim 1 wherein the syringe, the pressurizing mechanism, the actuator and the flow regulator are MR compatible, thereby making the device suitable for use in or near the bore of an MR scanner. 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the flow regulator comprises a fluid path element having a known diameter. 9. The device of claim 1 wherein the flow regulator comprises a mechanism to control the pressure generated by the pressurizing mechanism, an orifice of selectable diameter, an adjustable orifice, or a catheter. 10. The device of claim 1, further comprising an attachment mechanism for attaching the device to the patient. 11. A system for use in magnetic resonance imaging, comprising: a magnetic resonance (MR) scanner defining a bore in which a patient is positioned for a scan; and a device for injection of a fluid into a patient, the device comprising: (a) a syringe configured to hold the fluid and defining an outlet through which the fluid can exit therefrom, the syringe having a plunger slidably disposed therein and being configured to be placed in fluid connection with the patient; (b) a pressurizing mechanism comprising a vacuum drive in operative connection with the plunger of the syringe for pressurizing the fluid therein, the vacuum drive including: (i) a housing defining a chamber therein in which a sealing member is slidably disposed, the sealing member being configured to retract from a closed end of the chamber to a position away from the closed end and configured to enable a vacuum to be internally developed within the chamber as the sealing member is slidably drawn away from the closed end thereof; and (ii) a force transfer member, linked to the sealing member within the chamber, to which the plunger of the syringe operatively links when the syringe is secured to the housing; (c) an actuator connected to the outlet of the syringe, the actuator being switchable between a first state in which the fluid is prevented from flowing through the outlet and a second state in which the fluid can flow through the outlet; (d) a controller configured to control the state of the actuator; and (e) a flow regulator configured to regulate the rate at which the fluid flows from the outlet, wherein the syringe, the pressurizing mechanism, the actuator and the flow regulator are MR compatible, thereby making the device suitable for use in or near the bore of the MR scanner; such that, upon the vacuum being established within the chamber and the syringe being secured to the housing, when the actuator is switched to the second state, the force transfer member receives a force caused by the vacuum pulling the sealing member towards the closed end of the chamber and transfers the force to the plunger of the syringe thereby causing the fluid contained therein to be expelled from the outlet. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the syringe is removably secured to the housing. 13. The system of claim 11 wherein a mechanism of the actuator comprises a rotory valve, a pinch valve with tubing, a ratchet valve, a fusible link, a trumpet valve, a port closing valve, a pump system or a drive system. 14. The system of claim 13 wherein the mechanism of the actuator is powered by a vacuum drive, a piezoelectric drive, an electric motor drive, a solenoid drive, an electro resistive pump, an exigent pump, a magneto restrictive material, a TCAM device, a shape memory alloy material, a state transition, a bi-metallic material, an electro-active polymeric material or gravity. 15. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is remote from the actuator. 16. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is untethered from the actuator. 17. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller controls the state of the actuator via ultrasound, via a protocol of the MR scanner, via microwave energy, via a mechanical link, via infrared light, via fiber optic cable, via pneumatic power, via hydraulic power, via voice activation, via movement of a scanner table, via time delay, via an RF gradient trigger from a scanner, via a photo cell, via light control, via an RF signal, or via line power. 18. The system of claim 11 wherein the flow regulator comprises at least one of a mechanism to control the pressure generated by the pressurizing mechanism, a fluid path element of a known diameter, an orifice of selectable diameter, and an adjustable orifice. 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the flow regulator is a catheter. 20. The system of claim 11 wherein the device further comprises an attachment mechanism for attaching the device to the patient. 21. An injection device comprising: (a) a syringe for injecting fluid into a patient, the syringe having a first plunger slideably disposed therein, a second plunger slidably disposed therein, an outlet at a forward end thereof and a plunger extension attached to a rearward end of the second plunger, the first plunger being spaced forward from the second plunger in the syringe to create an intermediate volume therebetween, the intermediate volume being filled with an incompressible fluid; (b) a gas generating mechanism disposed within the intermediate volume; and (c) an activating mechanism configured to activate the gas generating mechanism thereby enabling pressure to build within the intermediate volume; such that advancement of the plunger extension in a forward direction forces both the second and the first plungers forward until the first plunger abuts against the forward end of the syringe and, upon connection of the outlet to a source of the fluid, subsequent retraction of the plunger extension forces both the second and first plungers rearward thereby drawing the fluid into the syringe forward of the first plunger and, upon readying the patient for injection with the syringe, activation of the gas generating mechanism while the second plunger is locked into a fixed position causes the fluid to be expelled from the outlet of the syringe by virtue of the pressure building up in the intermediate volume. 22. The injection device of claim 21 further including a rearward member for locking the second plunger into the fixed position and thus preventing retraction thereof after the gas generating mechanism has been activated. 23. An injection device comprising: (a) a syringe for injecting fluid into a patient, the syringe having a first plunger slideably disposed therein, a second plunger slidably disposed therein, an outlet at a forward end thereof and a plunger extension attached to a rearward end of the second plunger, the first plunger being situated forward of the second plunger in the syringe; (b) a gas generating mechanism disposed between the first and the second plungers; (c) an activating mechanism configured to activate the gas generating mechanism thereby enabling pressure to build between the first and the second plungers; and (d) means for locking the plunger extension and thus the second plunger attached thereto into a fixed position; such that advancement of the plunger extension in a forward direction forces both the second and the first plungers forward until the first plunger abuts against the forward end of the syringe and, upon connection of the outlet to a source of the fluid, subsequent retraction of the plunger extension forces both the second and first plungers rearward thereby drawing the fluid into the syringe forward of the first plunger and, upon readying the patient for injection with the syringe and locking the second plunger into the fixed position using the means therefor, activation of the gas generating mechanism while the second plunger is so locked causes the fluid to be expelled from the outlet of the syringe by virtue of the pressure building up between the first and the second plungers. 24. The injection device of claim 23 wherein the gas generating mechanism includes: (a) an incompressible fluid including at least one of acetic acid and citric acid disposed between the first and the second plungers; and (b) at least one of sodium carbonate and calcium carbonate disposed within a chamber defined in the forward end of the second plunger and sealed therein by a thin breakable membrane. 25. The injection device of claim 24 wherein the activating mechanism includes: (a) a threaded bore defined through the second plunger and in communication with the chamber in which the at least one of the sodium carbonate and the calcium carbonate is disposed; and (b) the plunger extension having a threaded portion at the forward end thereof that is threadably engaged within the threaded bore by which the plunger extension is attached to the second plunger; whereby rotation of the plunger extension causes further threading of the plunger extension into the second plunger and the chamber defined therein so as to break the membrane and expose the at least one of the sodium carbonate and the calcium carbonate to the incompressible fluid and thereby cause gas to be formed by the combination thereof so as to build up the pressure between the first and the second plungers.