Radiopharmaceutical delivery and tube management system

Abstract

A device for delivery of a radiopharmaceutical and delivery of a pharmaceutical agent are described. Various other components for delivery systems including tubing management systems, primer caps, diffusion chambers, radiation shields and syringe shields, needle handles, and other devices and methods are also described. Specifically, needle handles having a needle handle body attachable to a portion of a needle, and one or more wings or fins which are grasped by a user are described. The needle handle may be separated from the needle after insertion of the needle into a subject, and / or may provide access to a portion of tubing extending from the needle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional No. 61 / 656,743 entitled “Radiopharmaceutical Delivery Device”, filed Jun. 7, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]Radiopharmaceuticals are provided by manufacturers in numerous concentrations in sterilized containers (such as glass bottles or plastic packages) ranging incrementally in size from 20 ml to 200 ml. These containers are generally designed for a single use in which once a container is opened for a patient, then it is used for that patient only. The radiopharmaceutical is, generally, aspirated from such containers via a syringe pump used to inject the radiopharmaceutical, and any radiopharmaceutical remaining in the container is discarded to prevent infection with potentially contaminated radiopharmaceutical. The staff is faced with the task of choosing an appropriately sized container to assure an adequate injection while minimizing ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]In some embodiments, the injector body may be composed of steel, aluminum, or another metal or metal alloy, high tensile strength polymer compositions, and the like and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the housing may be configured to cover the injector body. In certain embodiments, the syringe mount may include buttons, pins, slides, grooves, and the like configured to associate with the syringe shield and facilitate proper placement of the syringe shield within the injector body. In certain embodiments, the injector may include a control system operably connected to the motor and capable of causing the motor to expel contents from the syringe, and in particular embodiments, the injector may include a tubing management system.

[0011]Further embodiments are directed to a method for reducing contamination of a tubing section including introducing a needle tubing section into a blood vessel of a patient, wherein the needle tubing section includes a diffusion chamber designed and configured to allow a user to monitor diffusion of blood into the tubing section, a first connector at a proximal end of the tubing section, a second connector at a distal end of the tubing section, wherein the second connector is configured to connect to a needle, and removing the tubing section when blood from the patient reaches the first connector.

Problems solved by technology

Time consuming procedures are required to reload the syringe if more radiopharmaceutical is required than originally calculated, and expensive waste results if only a portion of a filled syringe is injected.

In addition, staff are often exposed to hazardous radiation as a result of these procedures.