Patent ID: 7959605

Claim:
A powered injector for injecting a fluid into a patient in conjunction with a medical imaging procedure, the powered injector comprising: a plunger drive ram, a motor for moving the plunger drive ram, a syringe holder configured to couple a syringe to the powered injector to permit the plunger drive ram to engage and move a plunger within the syringe; a fluid reservoir adapted to be in fluid communication with a chamber of the syringe; a control circuit configured to control the motor to advance the plunger drive ram to inject fluid from the chamber of the syringe, and to retract the plunger drive ram to draw fluid from the fluid reservoir into the chamber of the syringe, said powered injector configured to: advance the plunger drive ram to perform a first injection of fluid from the chamber of the syringe; determine an amount of fluid remaining in the chamber of the syringe following the first injection; receive a user input associated with a second injection via the powered injector, the user input comprising a safety parameter for the subsequent injection selected from the group consisting of maximum injection volume, maximum flow rate, maximum pressure, and rise time; determine an amount of fluid to be delivered via the powered injector during the second injection based on the user input received; compare the amount of fluid remaining in the chamber of the syringe with the amount of fluid to be delivered during the second injection; and either (a) advance the plunger drive ram to perform the second injection if the amount of fluid to be delivered is equal to or less than the amount of fluid remaining in the chamber of the syringe, or (b) retract the plunger drive ram to draw fluid from the fluid reservoir into the chamber of the syringe if the amount of fluid to be delivered is greater than the amount of fluid remaining in the chamber.