Safety Valve Venting for Precise H2 15O PET Injection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for producing and injecting oxygen-15 (15O) for PET scans face challenges due to its short half-life, requiring precise timing and manual handling, which poses risks to patients and medical personnel from accidental infusion of radioactive gas and exposure to radiation.

Innovation Solution

A safety valve system with overflow recesses is introduced to prevent pressurized fluid from entering unintended valve openings, ensuring safe operation by venting excess fluid and preventing radioactive gas from reaching the patient, combined with a system for precise preparation and injection of H2 15O in a saline solution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If precise timing is implemented for radioisotope administration, then injection precision is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates a control unit that receives input signals and provides feedback control for the injection process. The control unit monitors injection progress, adjusts pump speed, and ensures precise timing based on real-time system state, achieving accurate radioisotope administration without requiring overly complex manual coordination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit performs multiple functions: it controls the injection pump, monitors timing, adjusts flow rates, and coordinates with the syringe loading mechanism. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate complex systems into a single integrated control unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If safety valves with overflow recesses are used to prevent gas infusion, then patient safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidvalve complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The safety valve incorporates overflow recesses that automatically vent excess fluid or gas without requiring external intervention. When pressure exceeds safe levels, the overflow recesses self-activate to release the excess, providing passive safety protection that does not add complex active control mechanisms to the valve

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 system enhances safety by preventing accidental infusion of radioactive gas and reduces radiation exposure for medical personnel, allowing for precise and continuous administration of H2 15O, improving the efficiency and safety of PET scan procedures.

Implementation Method 1

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, when the assembled valve is arranged in the at least two different open configurations, since the fluid will be vented through the overflow recesses and away from the valve

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

a cyclotron, which produces a target gas. The cyclotron target gas is transferred into a HotCell residing in a qualified laboratory environment, wherein it is converted from 15N to H2 15O

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNuclear reaction: Nuclear Fission

Implementation Method 3

The gas passing on one side of a semi-permeable membrane and saline passing on the other side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Implementation Method 4

Immediately before the patient a sterile filter made of a similar material as the first semi-permeable membrane will be located. The sterile filter will gas-lock in the event that any gas passes through the first membrane

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 5

Through the emission of positrons from radioisotopes, PET permits imaging and measuring of physiological processes within the human body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPositron emission: Radioactive Decay

Data Source

PatentEP3310428B1A system for safe radioisotope preparation and injection
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 MEDTRACE AS
  • EP3310428B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3310428B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2G
  • EP3310428B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A system for safe radioisotope preparation and injection of H2 15O for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The invention also relates to a safety valve for controlling a flow of H215O for use in PET, to a use of said safety valve and to a method for preparing and injecting H2 15O.