US 11,986,622 B2
Infusion procedure for enhancing image quality
Robert A. deKemp, Ottawa (CA)
Assigned to Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation, (CA)
Filed by Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation, Ottawa (CA)
Filed on Apr. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/302,499.
Application 18/302,499 is a continuation of application No. 16/660,989, filed on Oct. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,648,343.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/749,352, filed on Oct. 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0248900 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. A61M 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 6/00 (2006.01); A61B 6/03 (2006.01); A61B 6/50 (2024.01); A61M 5/14 (2006.01); A61M 5/168 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/007 (2013.01) [A61B 6/037 (2013.01); A61B 6/481 (2013.01); A61B 6/503 (2013.01); A61B 6/5264 (2013.01); A61M 5/1409 (2013.01); A61M 5/16813 (2013.01); A61M 5/16827 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for infusing a radioisotope to a subject using a system that includes a controller, an infusion line for delivering fluid under control of the controller, and a pump that is communicatively coupled to the controller, the method comprising:
infusing a volume of saline containing a diagnostic dose of the radioisotope from the infusion line into a peripheral vein of the subject at a first flow rate that is about 5 mL/min to about 60 mL/min; and,
using the controller and pump to deliver a pre-measured volume of push saline in two or more increments to the peripheral vein, wherein a volume of each increment of the push saline is an equal fraction of the pre-measured volume, each increment of the push saline is delivered at a push saline flow rate that is about 5 mL/min to about 60 mL/min, the push saline flow rate is equal to or higher than the first flow rate and the push saline flow rate of each increment may be the same or different;
wherein the delivery of the push saline results in an improvement in image background noise by at least 10% with respect to a diagnostic image of the subject that is obtained following the step of delivering the push saline, as compared to a diagnostic image that is obtained pursuant to a method in which push saline is not delivered.