Patent ID: 8663164

Claim:
A contrast media injector system, comprising: a syringe cradle configured to hold and extend along a majority of a length of a pre-filled syringe; a syringe detection circuit comprising a plurality of sensors spaced along said syringe cradle and configured to detect spatially and time modulated radiation, the spatial modulation being related to the relative position of a plunger of the pre-filled syringe when installed on said syringe cradle, wherein said syringe detection circuit is configured to automatically determine a filled volume of the pre-filled syringe when installed on said syringe cradle and to automatically input the filled volume to said contrast media injector system for use in a subsequent execution of a protocol; and a sensor support structure configured to hold said plurality of sensors in a fixed position relative to the pre-filled syringe when installed on said syringe cradle; wherein said syringe detection circuit is configured such that each of said plurality of sensors transmits a signal prior to execution of the protocol and with a pre-filled syringe being installed on said syringe cradle, wherein only one of said plurality of sensors receives back a reflected signal, and wherein an identification of said only one of said plurality of sensors that receives the reflected signal is used by said syringe detection circuit to identify a predetermined fill volume of the pre-filled syringe to said contrast media injector system and which occurs prior to any advancement of the plunger of the pre-filled syringe pursuant to execution of the protocol.