Abstract: A fluid injector system includes at least one injector for pressurizing and delivering at least one fluid from at least one fluid reservoir, at least one fluid path section in fluid communication with the at least one injector and having a predetermined index of refraction, and a first proximal sensor and a first distal sensor arranged along the at least one fluid path section. Each of the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor includes an emitter configured to emit light through the at least one fluid path section, and a detector configured to receive the light emitted through the at least one fluid path section and generate an electrical signal based on the received light. The fluid injector system further includes at least one processor programmed or configured to determine, based on a difference in the electrical signals generated by the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor, at least one property of a content of the at least one fluid path section.

Abstract: A fluid injector system for delivering a multi-phase fluid injection to a patient and methods of fluid delivery is disclosed. Methods of creating and using a multi-aspect fluid path impedance model of the injector system are used. Modeling and adjustment of factors that affect impedance and prevent or reduce backflow, reduce the likelihood of fluid flow rate spikes and provide more accurate flow rates and mixing ratios of fluids may be repeated or happen essentially continuously during an injection. The adjustments may be determined before the injection or determined and/or adjusted during the injection. The determination may include sensor feedback commonly used in injectors such as pressure and position feedback as well as other sensors. In all cases, the user can be notified of adjustments through on-screen notices and/or through the recordation of the injection data by a control device of the injector at the conclusion of the injection.

Abstract: A fluid injector system for delivering a multi-phase fluid injection to a patient and methods of fluid delivery is disclosed. Methods of creating and using a multi-aspect fluid path impedance model of the injector system are used. Modeling and adjustment of factors that affect impedance and prevent or reduce backflow, reduce the likelihood of fluid flow rate spikes and provide more accurate flow rates and mixing ratios of fluids may be repeated or happen essentially continuously during an injection. The adjustments may be determined before the injection or determined and/or adjusted during the injection. The determination may include sensor feedback commonly used in injectors such as pressure and position feedback as well as other sensors. In all cases, the user can be notified of adjustments through on-screen notices and/or through the recordation of the injection data by a control device of the injector at the conclusion of the injection.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides improved methods for calibrating the zero position of at least one drive member of an injector system is disclosed. Automated methods of position calibration of the drive member of a fluid injector are disclosed. These methods address sources of error in positional accuracy and fluid delivery inaccuracies, such as disposable syringe tolerance and injector wear over time. According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, methods and fluid injector systems for determining and correcting for the amount of slack in a fluid injection apparatus are described. An understanding of the calibration and the amount of slack in a fluid injection system allows a processor to correct for the slack, thereby ensuring more accurate fluid delivery to the patient and more accurate imaging processes.

Abstract: A method for dynamic pressure control during a multiphase injection is described wherein the pressures of fluids in the various reservoirs of a fluid delivery system are controlled to provide desired fluid delivery parameters. The methods include advancing the first drive member to expel the first fluid from the first reservoir into a conduit, wherein the fluid is pressurized to a first fluid pressure; measuring the first fluid pressure to provide a target value; while the second reservoir is in fluid isolation from the conduit, advancing or retracting the second drive member to increase or decrease the fluid pressure of the second fluid in the second reservoir to the target value; placing the second reservoir in fluid communication with the conduit; and advancing the second drive member to expel the second fluid from the second reservoir into the conduit.

Abstract: A calibration system for calibrating a pressure output of a fluid injector having a housing configured for connecting to the fluid injector; a drive member engagement portion configured for contacting a drive member of the fluid injector; a compressible member, which may have a known modulus of compression, connected at its proximal end to the drive member engagement portion, wherein the compressible member is compressed with movement of the drive member of the fluid injector between a first, uncompressed position and a second, at least partially compressed position of the fluid injector in a distal direction; and a sensor connected to the compressible member is described. The sensor is configured for measuring at least one of a force imparted by the drive member and a displacement of the drive member when the compressible member is in the second, at least partially compressed position.

Abstract: A method for determining a volume of one or more air bubbles in a fluid path includes initiating an injection procedure in which at least one medical fluid is injected into the fluid path, receiving an electrical signal from an air detector of the fluid injector system, wherein the electrical signal indicates the presence of one or more air bubbles in the fluid path, calculating a flow rate of fluid in the fluid path, determining a fluid pressure in the fluid path, determining a count value of the one or more air bubbles representative of a volume of the one or more air bubbles, and updating a cumulative counter with the count value of the one or more air bubbles. The cumulative counter is representative of a cumulative volume of air that has passed through the fluid path during the injection procedure.

Abstract: A calibration system for calibrating a pressure output of a fluid injector having a housing configured for connecting to the fluid injector; a drive member engagement portion configured for contacting a drive member of the fluid injector; a compressible member, which may have a known modulus of compression, connected at its proximal end to the drive member engagement portion, wherein the compressible member is compressed with movement of the drive member of the fluid injector between a first, uncompressed position and a second, at least partially compressed position of the fluid injector in a distal direction; and a sensor connected to the compressible member is described. The sensor is configured for measuring at least one of a force imparted by the drive member and a displacement of the drive member when the compressible member is in the second, at least partially compressed position.

Abstract: A system and method for correcting a volume of fluid delivered by a fluid injector during an injection procedure is described. The method included determining and compensating for a volume factor associated with compliance of the fluid injector system and correcting for the volume by one of over-driving the distance that the drive member travels in a fluid reservoir, under-driving the distance that the drive member travels in the fluid reservoir, or lengthening or shortening a fluid delivery time.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are disclosed for a flow rate algorithm that utilizes changes in fluid pressure over a set time interval to calculate a true flow rate compared to a programmed flow rate, determine any over-delivery or under-delivery in the amount of fluid delivered over the set time interval, compensate for any determined over-delivery or under-delivery in the fluid flow rate over a subsequent set time interval, and repeat the flow rate algorithm for a series of subsequent set time intervals over the duration of a fluid injection procedure.

Abstract: A system and method for correcting a volume of fluid delivered by a fluid injector during an injection procedure is described. The method included determining and compensating for a volume factor associated with compliance of the fluid injector system and correcting for the volume by one of over-driving the distance that the drive member travels in a fluid reservoir, under-driving the distance that the drive member travels in the fluid reservoir, or lengthening or shortening a fluid delivery time.

Abstract: Provided is a method for delivering a medical fluid. The method includes administering a test injection at a preselected total volumetric flowrate for a preselected duration. The preselected total volumetric flowrate of the test injection is substantially maintained throughout the preselected duration of the test injection and is substantially similar to an anticipated total volumetric flowrate of the fluid to be administered during at least a first phase of a diagnostic injection protocol. The method further includes performing a test scan of one or more regions of interest of the patient, determining a patient response function for the patient for each of the one or more regions of interest based, at least in part, on the enhancement output, and determining a diagnostic injection protocol based at least in part upon the patient response function from each of the one or more regions of interest.

Abstract: A fluid injector system for delivering a multi-phase fluid injection to a patient and methods of fluid delivery is disclosed. Methods of creating and using a multi-aspect fluid path impedance model of the injector system are used. Modeling and adjustment of factors that affect impedance and prevent or reduce backflow, reduce the likelihood of fluid flow rate spikes and provide more accurate flow rates and mixing ratios of fluids may be repeated or happen essentially continuously during an injection. The adjustments may be determined before the injection or determined and/or adjusted during the injection. The determination may include sensor feedback commonly used in injectors such as pressure and position feedback as well as other sensors. In all cases, the user can be notified of adjustments through on-screen notices and/or through the recordation of the injection data by a control device of the injector at the conclusion of the injection.

Abstract: A fluid injector system for delivering a multi-phase fluid injection to a patient and methods of fluid delivery is disclosed. Methods of creating and using a multi-aspect fluid path impedance model of the injector system are used. Modeling and adjustment of factors that affect impedance and prevent or reduce backflow, reduce the likelihood of fluid flow rate spikes and provide more accurate flow rates and mixing ratios of fluids may be repeated or happen essentially continuously during an injection. The adjustments may be determined before the injection or determined and/or adjusted during the injection. The determination may include sensor feedback commonly used in injectors such as pressure and position feedback as well as other sensors. In all cases, the user can be notified of adjustments through on-screen notices and/or through the recordation of the injection data by a control device of the injector at the conclusion of the injection.

Abstract: A fluid injector system includes a control device operatively associated with a first drive component configured to pressurize and inject a first fluid and a second drive component configured to pressurize and inject a second fluid. The control device includes at least one processor programmed or configured to: during a first phase of a multi-phase injection protocol, actuate at least the first drive component to inject the first phase; during the first phase of the injection protocol and prior to transitioning to a second phase of the injection protocol, actuate the second drive component to pressurize the second fluid relative to a pressure of the first fluid; and during the second phase of the injection protocol, actuate the second drive component to inject at least the second fluid so that a desired steady-state ratio of the first fluid and the second fluid in the second phase is reached.

Abstract: A fluid injector system includes a control device operatively associated with each of two or more drive components configured to pressurize and inject a first fluid from a first fluid reservoir through a fluid conduit, and at least a second fluid from a second fluid reservoir through the fluid conduit. The fluid conduit is in selective fluid communication with the first and second fluid reservoirs. The control device has at least one processor programmed or configured to actuate a second drive component to pressurize and inject the second fluid through the fluid conduit, and while the second drive component is actuated, actuate a first drive component to introduce intermittent pulses of the first fluid to create a flow front interface between the first fluid and the second fluid in the fluid conduit to prevent backflow of the second fluid through the fluid conduit into the first fluid reservoir.

Abstract: An injector system for delivering a medical fluid may include at least one syringe defining a reservoir operatively connected to a piston; and at least one processor programmed or configured to, based on an air check protocol for detecting air in the reservoir, determine a baseline value comprising baseline compressibility data for the at least one syringe of the injector system, deliver the first amount of the medical fluid from the reservoir; refill the reservoir with a second amount of the medical fluid; based on the air check protocol, perform an air check pressurization sequence by gathering air check compressibility data for the at least one syringe of the injector system; and based on the air check protocol, compare the air check compressibility data with the baseline compressibility data to determine a volume of air present in the reservoir.

Abstract: A fluid injector system includes at least one fluid reservoir having at least one interior surface and defining an internal volume, at least one actuator configured to change the internal volume of the at least one fluid reservoir, and at least one processor. The at least one processor may be programmed or configured to drive the actuator to at least partially fill the at least one fluid reservoir with a fluid from a fluid source, drive the actuator to generate a least a partial vacuum within the internal volume to dislodge one or more gas bubbles adhered to the at least one interior surface and to cause the one or more gas bubbles to coalesce into a coalesced bubble, and drive the actuator to expel the coalesced bubble from an outlet of the at least one fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A method of delivering a multi-phase fluid injection to a patient via a fluid injector comprising two or more syringes includes injecting a first fluid of the fluid injection from at least a first syringe at a first predetermined flow rate, wherein the first fluid has a first viscosity; injecting an initial portion of a second fluid from at least a second syringe at an intermediate flow rate different than a second predetermined flow rate for a specified time, the second fluid having a second viscosity different from the first viscosity; and injecting a remaining portion of the second fluid of the fluid injection at a flow rate at the second predetermined flow rate. A fluid injector system configured for delivering a multi-phase fluid injection is disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides improved methods for calibrating the zero position of at least one drive member of an injector system is disclosed. Automated methods of position calibration of the drive member of a fluid injector are disclosed. These methods address sources of error in positional accuracy and fluid delivery inaccuracies, such as disposable syringe tolerance and injector wear over time. According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, methods and fluid injector systems for determining and correcting for the amount of slack in a fluid injection apparatus are described. An understanding of the calibration and the amount of slack in a fluid injection system allows a processor to correct for the slack, thereby ensuring more accurate fluid delivery to the patient and more accurate imaging processes.