Safety Valve Overflow Venting for H2 15O PET Injection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for producing and injecting H2 15O pose risks of fatal venal air embolisms due to malfunctioning valves and lack of fail-safe features, necessitating manual handling that exposes medical personnel to radiation and limits routine patient examinations.

Innovation Solution

A safety valve with overflow recesses that vent excess fluid away from unintended openings, ensuring no fluid enters unintended parts of the system, combined with a system for precise H2 15O preparation and injection, eliminating manual handling and enhancing patient and personnel safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual handling of radioisotopes is performed by medical personnel, then patient safety is improved by avoiding direct connection to cyclotron, but radiation exposure to medical personnel increases making it infeasible for routine examinations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidradiation exposure to medical personnel

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated preparation and injection of H2 15O without requiring medical personnel to manually handle the radioisotopes. The automated system performs measurements, extractions, and injections independently, eliminating repeated radiation exposure to medical staff while maintaining patient safety through controlled delivery mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical operations (syringe transfers, manual injections) are replaced by an automated system that uses electronic control, pumps, and automated valve systems to prepare and deliver the radioisotope, eliminating the need for medical personnel to physically handle radioactive materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If compressed radioactive gas is delivered at high pressure (10 atm or more) from cyclotron to patient, then production efficiency is improved, but risk of fatal venal air embolisms increases if gas passes through filters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradioisotope delivery efficiencyVSAvoidrisk of venal air embolism

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary conversion of the compressed radioactive gas to liquid form in a heated target vessel before injection. This phase change and pressure reduction occur in advance, eliminating the high-pressure gas hazard while maintaining the ability to deliver the required radioisotope quantity efficiently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A liquid conversion intermediate step is introduced between the compressed gas source and patient injection. The gas is converted to liquid form in a heated target vessel, serving as an intermediary state that reduces pressure and eliminates the embolism risk while preserving radioisotope delivery capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stress or pressure

If known valves with venting openings are used to release excess fluid, then pressure control is improved, but valve malfunction can prevent automatic venting and compromise safety

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure controlVSAvoidautomatic safety venting

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The venting function is extracted from the main valve mechanism and implemented as a separate passive overflow system. The overflow outlet is positioned higher than the valve opening, creating an independent gravitational drainage path that operates automatically without requiring valve actuation or mechanical movement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using active mechanical venting that requires valve opening, the system uses passive gravitational drainage where excess liquid naturally flows to a higher-positioned overflow outlet. This inverts the conventional approach by using gravity rather than pressure differential for venting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The safety valve prevents undesired fluid from reaching patients, enabling continuous, precise H2 15O injection, reducing radiation exposure for medical staff, and allowing routine patient examinations.

Implementation Method 1

By providing a valve comprising said at least two overflow recesses, the overflow recesses ensures that no fluid will travel from the at least two valve openings connected by the flow channel to the at least one valve opening that is not in connection with the flow channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3449972B1A system for safe radioisotope preparation and injection

Publication Date: 2025.09.10 MEDTRACE AS

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Figure 2A~2G
Figure 3A~3B

AI summary

The invention relates to a safety valve for controlling a flow of H215O for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and to a use of said safety valve.