Abstract: Methods of determining at least one parameter for an injection procedure to be performed in combination with an imaging procedure may include injecting a test bolus of a contrast enhancement fluid having a contrast enhancing agent, scanning regions of interest with an imaging system as the test bolus flows therethrough to obtain therefrom a contrast time enhancement curve for each region of interest, extracting at least one discrete data point from each of the contrast time enhancement curves such that each of the discrete data points constitutes a pair of measurements on the contrast time enhancement curve corresponding thereto, substituting into a model the discrete data points extracted from the contrast time enhancement curves to obtain an estimate of values of physiological variables, and using the estimate to determine via the model the at least one parameter for the injection procedure to be performed in combination with the imaging procedure.

Abstract: A system for processing cells is disclosed. The system may include a container having an inner wall, a plunger adapted to be slidably positioned within the container, at least one inlet port through which a fluid can enter the container, at least one outlet port through which a fluid can exit the container, at least one effluent port through which an effluent can exit the container, a first check valve in fluid connection with the inlet port and a second check valve in fluid connection with the effluent port. The plunger may include a filter that allows fluid to pass therethrough but prevents cells from passing therethrough. Rearward motion of the plunger may be adapted to draw fluid into the system via the inlet port and forward motion of the plunger may be adapted to force effluent out of the system via the effluent port.

Abstract: Methods for capacitance volume correction in fluid-containing expandable bodies and associated fluid pathways are disclosed. The methods may be applied in fluid delivery systems used to supply fluids to patients during radiographic imaging procedures, including angiography. The methods control delivery of fluid to a downstream process, including providing a fluid-delivery expandable body and a pressurizing element in fluid communication with the downstream process, pressurizing the expandable body by moving the pressurizing element in the expandable body to reduce volume therein, determining an over-travel distance for the pressurizing element, and ceasing movement of the pressurizing element after allowing the pressurizing element to over-travel the over-travel distance to compensate for expansion of the expandable body under pressure. The expandable body may be a syringe and the pressurizing element may be a plunger disposed within the syringe.

Abstract: A catheter including a catheter body having a catheter lumen is disclosed. A manifold assembly is coupled with a proximal catheter portion. A manifold lumen extends through the manifold assembly and includes an assembly cavity extending around the proximal catheter portion. A fluid jet loop including fluid jet orfices along a tapered loop guide surface is coupled with a distal catheter portion. The catheter further includes a composite guide having a proximal guide insert and a distal guide. The proximal guide insert is positioned within the assembly cavity and includes a guide insert surface flush with a catheter body interior wall. The distal guide includes a tapered loop guide surface, and an intermediate guide surface of the catheter lumen is flushly engaged with a leading edge of the tapered loop guide surface, the distal guide continuously tapering inwardly and distally along the tapered loop guide surface.

Abstract: An interventional catheter assembly comprises an operating head for removing obstructive material from a target site in a body lumen or cavity and at least one aspiration port located proximal to the operating head and penetrating the catheter assembly, the aspiration port being in communication with a sealed lumen that communicates with a vacuum system for withdrawing aspirate fluid and obstructive material from the target site. The interventional catheter incorporates an elongated guidewire lumen bushing extending proximally from a distal region of the operating head to reduce the clearance between the guidewire and the internal surface of the guidewire lumen during operation of the interventional catheter. This feature restricts entry of fluid and debris into the guidewire lumen and promotes maintenance of consistent and high aspiration pressure and volume during operation of the aspiration system and interventional catheter assembly.

Abstract: A device for inserting a catheter into a blood vessel that uses fluid flow to aid the insertion of the catheter into a patient is described herein. The device includes a catheter retention device that houses a catheter and is configured to attach to an angiocatheter or other blood vessel access device. The catheter retention device receives fluid and guides the catheter into the blood vessel using the flow of fluid to carry the catheter into the blood vessel.

Abstract: Interventional catheter assemblies, operating systems and adaptive interface components allow operation of a variety of interventional catheter assemblies, including infusion catheters, aspiration catheters and interventional catheters that provide both infusion and aspiration, using a common control console housing infusion and aspiration systems. Control instructions for operating the interventional catheter assembly and authentication protocols for verifying system matches and operating conditions maybe encoded in hardware, firmware or software, such as a memory or storage device, provided in the interventional catheter assembly or in a discrete adaptive interface component. Adaptive components such as tubing cassettes routing aspiration and/or infusion tubing in a predetermined configuration to mate with aspiration and infusion systems on a control console are also provided.

Abstract: The fluid injection apparatus is adapted for use with a syringe and includes an injector and a pressure jacket associated with the injector. The injector includes a housing defining an opening for a drive piston extendable from the housing. The pressure jacket secures the syringe during an injection procedure. The pressure jacket has a distal end defining a syringe receiving opening for receiving the syringe, and a proximal end associated with the housing and generally aligned with the opening. The apparatus includes a syringe sensor adapted for engagement by the syringe when loaded into the pressure jacket. The housing may have an engagement tab adapted to engage an engagement recess in the pressure jacket to removably engage the pressure jacket with the housing. The apparatus may have one or more light sources associated with the housing for illuminating the syringe received in the pressure jacket.

Abstract: A system for delivering a cell-slurry to a patient may include a fluid, cells that are non-dissolvable or immiscible in the fluid, thereby forming the cell-slurry, a syringe adapted to contain the cell-slurry and a supernate of the cell-slurry, the syringe defining a first end having an outlet through which the cell-slurry is delivered to the patient, a fluidizing system associated with the syringe and adapted to effect dilation of the cell-slurry with a portion of the supernate, to form a dilated cell-slurry, the dilated cell-slurry being transferred from the fluidizing system to the syringe, while maintaining at least a portion of the supernate, the cell-slurry and supernate being transferred from the fluidizing system to the syringe, a pressurizing mechanism adapted to create a pressure to cause the dilated cell-slurry contained within the syringe to flow for delivery to the patient and a control unit in communication with and adapted to control the fluidizing system, the pressurizing mechanism and movemen

Abstract: A method of extracting at least one time-value curve to determine a protocol in an imaging procedure using an imaging system, includes: determining a first N-dimensional data set of pixel values of a portion of a body of the patient at a first time using the imaging system, wherein N is an integer; determining at least a second N-dimensional data set of pixel values of the portion at a second time using the imaging system; computing a predetermined number of correlated segments of the imaged portion corresponding to a predetermined number of regions of interest of the patient by computing a similarity metric of a time series of pixel values; computing the at least one time-value curve for at least one of the regions of interest; and determining a protocol for a diagnostic scan using the image system based at least in part upon data from the time value curve.

Abstract: A fluid connector includes an extending section including a spiked end to pierce the container port. The extending section includes at least one air conduit and at least one fluid conduit therethrough. The extending section further includes a first abutment member and second abutment member. The first abutment member is adapted to abut a first or air side of the container port upon piercing of the container port. The second abutment member is spaced from the first abutment member and is adapted to abut a second or fluid sided of the container port. The fluid connector can further include grasping members extending from the extending section to facilitate rotation of the extending section relative to the container port during piercing thereof. The fluid connector can also include a check valve in fluid connection with the air line. In several embodiments, the check valve is positioned within the extending section.

Abstract: A fluid path for delivery of a fluid comprises first and second flexible tubes, each tube defining a transverse formation extending generally perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. Used to maintain the transverse formation in each tube, a clip mechanism includes a body comprising opposing flanges, each opposing flange defining at least a pair of recesses, each of the pair of recesses receiving one of the first and second flexible tubes, respectively, to define the respective transverse formations. The clip mechanism includes a support section connecting the opposing flanges such that the clip mechanism extends across the transverse formations and maintains their configuration. Due to the transverse formations, fluid contained within either tube at one end portion thereof cannot flow through the length thereof to displace a less dense fluid contained therein at the other end portion thereof under gravitational flow.

Abstract: Catheters including guidewire tubes having a limited length and methods of using the catheters are described. The catheters may be delivered over guidewires in procedures that are commonly referred to as rapid-exchange delivery. In some embodiments, the catheters may be miniature flexible thrombectomy catheters that may be used to remove thrombus or other unwanted material from a body blood vessel or other small regions of body cavities in which the distal portion of the catheter has smaller external dimensions than the larger proximal portion.

Abstract: A method of determining at least one patient physiological parameter from an imaging procedure includes at least the steps of measuring time enhancement outputs for at least two different regions of interest, and determining at least one difference between the time enhancement outputs to provide a measure of the at least one patient physiological parameter. The physiological parameter can be a parameter of the cardiopulmonary system. It can also be the cardiac output, the blood volume in a region, a rate transfer term or a transit delay. A first time enhancement output may be measured in the ascending aorta or the descending aorta and a second time enhancement output may be measured in the pulmonary artery trunk.

Abstract: A syringe includes a body having a distal end, a proximal end and a center section therebetween, a plunger movably disposed in the body, and a hollow alignment flange for orienting and manipulating the syringe.

Abstract: The fluid delivery system includes a pressurizing device for delivering a pressurized injection fluid, a low pressure fluid delivery system, and a pressure isolation mechanism adapted for fluid communication with the pressurizing device and low pressure fluid delivery system. The pressure isolation mechanism includes a housing defining an inlet port, an isolation port, and an internal cavity. The housing defines a seal seat in the internal cavity between the inlet port and isolation port. A valve member is disposed in the internal cavity. The valve member is free floating in the internal cavity and is adapted to engage the seal seat. The valve member has an open position permitting fluid communication between the inlet port and isolation port, and is fluid flow responsive to fluid flow in the inlet port to engage the seal seat and attain a closed position preventing fluid flow between the inlet port and isolation port.

Abstract: An interventional catheter assembly has an operating head and catheter system that are inserted and navigated within a patient's body while an operator controls the system externally of the operating head. Fluidic communication is provided between the operating head and the external system controls, and rotation is provided to the operating head by means of an external drive system. Numerous system controls are provided, along with various operating systems, sealing assemblies, actuators, torque transfer systems, and the like are provided. Some systems and controls are provided in a control pod and some controls, as well as displays, are provided in a console unit. Control pod, catheter system and operating head may be provided as a sterile, single use interventional catheter system, while the console unit may be provided as a multiple use device that communicates with the sterile, single use interventional catheter system during operation.

Abstract: A system and method of extracting at least one time-value curve enables determination of a protocol for a patient in an imaging procedure. The method includes the step of determining a series of 0 through T M-dimensional data sets of pixel values of an imaged portion of the patient acquired using an imaging system. M and T are integers, and the 0 and T data sets correspond to sets at times t=0 and t=T, respectively. Other steps include: computing a predetermined number of correlated segments of the imaged portion corresponding to a number of regions of interest by computing a similarity metric of a time series of pixel values; computing the at least one time-value curve for at least one of those regions; and determining a protocol for a diagnostic scan using the imaging system based at least in part upon data from the at least one time value curve.

Abstract: An injector system for use in injecting a fluid into a patient includes a communication system adapted to receive data from at least a first sensor that measures a value first variable. The communication system is also adapted to receive data from a calibrated sensor that measures a value the first variable. The injector system further includes a calibration system adapted to calibrate output from the first sensor in response to output from the calibrated sensor. An injector for use in injecting a fluid into a patient, includes a first sensor that measures a value first variable, a communication port adapted to receive data from a calibrated sensor that measures the value the first variable, and a controller adapted to compare data from the calibrated sensor with data from the first sensor and to calibrate output from the first sensor. The devices, systems and methods of the present invention are applicable to systems other than injection systems.

Abstract: The devices of the present disclosure are rheolytic thrombectomy catheters with a self-inflating distal balloon. A self-inflating balloon is located distal to an inflow gap or orifice and distal to a fluid jet emanator, which self-inflating balloon is inflated and expanded by the utilization of internal operating forces consisting of forwardly directed high velocity fluid jet streams and/or entrained thrombus particulate therein. The self-inflating balloon, when inflated, impinges on the wall of the blood vessel to isolate sections of the blood vessel distal and proximal to the inflated balloon in order to prevent flow of thrombus particulate, fluids and the like distal to the self-inflating balloon and to provide a stagnant nonflow region proximal to the self-inflating balloon. The devices of the present disclosure also provide for a uniform spacing of the catheter tube with respect to the thrombus and/or wall of the blood vessel.