Air Bubble Volume Correction in Medical Fluid Injectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid injectors in medical procedures face challenges in accurately determining the volume of air bubbles in fluid paths, leading to unnecessary abortion of injections, which can disrupt workflow and patient safety.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that includes an air detector to monitor air bubbles, calculating flow rate and pressure to determine the volume of air bubbles, and a cumulative counter to decide whether to halt or continue the injection based on predetermined thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing fluid injectors abort injection upon air bubble detection, then patient safety is protected, but workflow is disrupted and unnecessary interruptions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of air volume measurement from binary detection to continuous quantification. By calculating actual air bubble volume using flow rate and pressure data, the system transforms the detection threshold from a fixed binary state to a dynamic parameter-based decision, allowing safe continuation when volume is below threshold and abort only when exceeding safe limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring air bubble volume calculations and comparing against predetermined safety thresholds. The controller receives real-time data from flow rate and pressure sensors, calculates cumulative air volume, and adjusts injection status accordingly - providing feedback that distinguishes between safe and unsafe conditions rather than uniform abort behavior.
2Reliability
If existing fluid injectors use conservative air bubble detection, then patient safety is ensured, but measurement precision of air volume is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces simple binary air detection mechanisms with a calculation-based approach using flow rate and pressure sensors. Instead of relying on basic air detection hardware that only signals presence/absence, the system uses mathematical calculations (integrating flow rate over time when air is detected, adjusting for pressure effects) to precisely determine air bubble volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces flow rate and pressure data as intermediary measurements to bridge the gap between simple air detection and accurate volume measurement. These intermediary parameters enable calculation of actual air bubble volume by considering fluid dynamics and pressure effects on bubble expansion/compression during injection.
3Measurement precision
If fluid injectors detect small volumes of air, then diagnostic image quality is maintained, but unnecessary procedure interruptions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by detecting air bubbles at sensitive levels but only taking excessive action (aborting injection) when the calculated volume exceeds the predetermined safety threshold. Small volumes below the threshold are detected and monitored but do not trigger procedure interruption, allowing the injection to continue partially despite minor air presence.
Data Source
AI summary
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.