CA2622453A1 - Systems and methods for managing information relating to medical fluids and containers therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to management of information relating to medical fluids, containers therefor, and medical fluid administration devices for administering such medical fluids to patients. Data tags (e.g., RFID tags) are generally associated with containers of the invention and may be electromagnetically read from and/or written to using an electromagnetic device, for example, that may be associated with a medical fluid administration device of the invention.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING INFORMATION
RELATING TO MEDICAL FLUIDS "ND CON7"AINERS THEREFOR Cross Reference to ReiateLl Applications ;-I
Tl IiS aC? ?!i.7ti7"' IS a divisional Qf ?3ndr'1cs'i' PCT/US2006/012620, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING
INFORMATION RELATING TO MEDICAL FLUIDS AND CONTAINERS THEREFOR, filed on April 4, 2006.

Field of the (nvention [0001]The present invention relates generaily to medicai fluids (e.g., radiopharmaceuticals, contrast media) and, more particularly, to tracking and/or managing information relating to medical fluids. cort~,,iner,~, therefor, ar-Vor ;-~
fluid to .~ . Background [0002] Proper administration of pharmaceuticals (e.g., contrast media, radiopharmaceuticafs) is dependent on human reliability to insure the correct drug is ~.:
administered properfy. In the case of injectable pharmaceuticals, the consequences of mistakes can be severe. Statistically the accuracy of the health care system in providing correct injections is excellent. However, with millions of injections per year, there is a continuing effort to further reduce mistakes, a great majority of which are the result of human error. J
[0003] Of particular interest is the packaging, distribution and use of contrast media or a contrast agent. As used herein, a contrast media or agent is a substance that is introduced into, on, or around a physiological structure (e.g., tissue, vasculature, cell);
and because of the differences in absorption by the contrast media and the surrounding tissues, the contrast media allows a radiographic visualization of the structure. Contrast media is used in x-ray computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MR), ultrasound imaging, anglographic imaging, and other procedures. Often, a container, for example, a syringe, is filled with a desired quantity of the contrast media by an independent supplier; and the filled syringes of contrast Pagel ~;,~= ~/
media are sold or otherwise provided to a hospital, imaging service provider or other health care facility.
[0004]dver the useful life of the contrast media anct i2 associated syringe, there are three principal areas of interest for.tracking purposes: 1) the location where the contrast media is packagec+ in a containar (e=g., a syringe); ,, iho distribution and t~rp 'ge nF ? ;~ i:i ~J lc .,Yr~ng8. The filil(ig oi a syringe with contrast media can occur at a supplier's faciiity s.rparate from a health care facility; or in some circumstances, within a pharmacy of the health.care facility.
Contrast media comes in many types and concentrations and can be filled in syringes of different sizes that also vary with the type of Injector to be used.
Further, the contrast media has a limited shelf life and a more limited life when open to atmosphere or when heated in preparation for injection, Th+.:s, in order to properly fili a syringe with contrast i7iedia, knowledge of the contrast media's use, the injecior and tomet{mes ar, identitv nf ., ere r4'qlsirE.c. ir _(iU Ualta u iVi 4cii U I i.:ulil syringe was filled.
[0005]Currently, all this information is manually collected by pharmacists and X-ray technologists. The technologist then uses this information to manually set up the injection; and currently, this information must be manually transposed onto various records. Known systems for managing pharmaceuticals provide filled syringes with bar codes having SKUs and other indicia relating to various filled sizes and concentrations of contrast media. But this system is limited in use and does not provide an efficient management of all of the parameters needed in a medical environment and particularly in connection with the use of contrast media.
There is a need for a more automated system for entering information relating to contrast media upon filling a syringe. There is a further need to automatically track. a particular syringe through a distribution system whether from a supplier external to a health care facility and/or from a pharmacy within the facility, [0006]A typical X-ray department has an X-ray contrast warming device or box.
This 30 device is used to raise the temperature of the contrast media to body temperature before it is manually injected or installed in an injector. Additionally, it is considered normal for X-ray departments to store more than the day's requirement of contrast media in the warmer box. This creates a complex situation for an X-ray technologist responsible for manually keeping track of sometimes dozens of contrast media .

syringes. The syringes have to be tracked by quantity, type and time in the warmer box; and the contrast media syringes should be used on a first-in first-out basis. As a result, a situation may result where there is too much of one type or not enough of another type. This manual tracking of contrast rnedia syringas may also resuit in :.~;s':~!<ft .!v some syringes staying in the warmer box too iong, ~nd others being . .... . _ .... . . ., . . '~' .. .
rnore auiomaied system for tracking contrast media syringes in a warmer box.
[0007} Power injectors are frequently used to inject X-ray contrast media into patients receiving X-ray imaging procedures. X-ray technologists may encounter distractions in the course of exeCuting an X-ray procedure thus leading to the possibility of injecting a patient using an empty syringe. An empty syringe injection often occurs when a technologist retr2;cts a piunc~er of a syrinc~e with the powcr ir~:c<ar ~.fte; an injection but inadvertently does not replac3 the empty syrinre wiih a.;.:v ;;i syrinyG -when the next patient is preparod flr T :;inC th(?'~''hi 1 1r{ tilf', rtr*;t:t .,, .I-iNf s'JI f1+gF1 iooics !ike a fufl syringe with contrast r-nedia. To reduce the risk of using an empty !F ' syringe, power injectors often prompt the technologist with a message asking the 11 technologist to confirm that air has been purged out of the syringe and tubing.
However, a technologist may answer "yes" to the prompt without care;uily checking the syringe and tubing with the result that air is injected into a patient.
Therefore, there is a need for a more automated system for preventing use of an empty syringe.
[0008]lt is possible to refiH almost any empty syringe with contrast media.
Some syringes are intended to be refilled, whereas others are not. However, some engage in a practice of refilling syringes that are not intended to be refilled and/or refill a syringe improperly with a risk of trapping air within the syringe. Therefore, there is a need for an automated system for tracking the use of a syringe and preventing its subsequent unauthorized re-use.
[0009]The installed base of power injectors In the world is very large due to their reliability and long useful life. Throughout the life of a power injector, the diameter and length of syringes used in that injector may vary due to tooling, material or proGess ~:.
changes over time, or even normal variations from batch-to-batch. Known power injectors have fixed programming for syringe sizes and are not setup to automaticaily make adjustments for minor variations in the diameter and length of a syringe.
By assuming a diameter and length for a syringe, the volume delivery accuracy of a = r power injector is limited. For example, variations in syringe size result in a typical volume accuracy specification for a power injector of about +l-2 milliliters ("ml") per injection, even though the electronics and mechanical transmission are capable of much better. Th; rr?tt~re, there is a need for ar, uutorrrated system for determining variations in sVrinQP, il7e, sn that hetter vol!' '=~ ';~~:ii'J~?.!
/,aCCl.iitilGy 0, 1 ( 1 IJ :.
i; Scivlu8 er;ginQer calied. Ir) analyzing a power injector experienGing operating problems, the injector is operated in a "service" mode, which is often achieved by instiiliing electrical jumpers in an injector control. The. service mode makes testing and troubleshooting the power injector easier, but the service mode often disables some safety features of the injector. Use of a jumper is simple technology; and it is relatively easy for a customer to invokF. St?r';ic4 rncxde without authorizatir:n, ;'or ox~.mple, i0 avoid the incori'/+?nlf;(tCP
of varrau;:: 'v ~.hc-cks wt18n r..lsrngl1i'3 ,<;:iiriiiivr:, al.S.'o i1~ .'~i,~4It=l,l, '15 aaoeE,, 0 ,;~ =' ~;~ visible; the power rnje:,tor, in which case the injector is left in service mode. If the service mode is used for a medical procedure, either deliberately or mistakenly, the injector may not perform in a safe manner. Therefore, there is a need for a better system for placing a power injector in a service mode and preveriting normal use of the power injector while it is in the service mode.
[0011]Sometimes, when a power injector is not operating properly, the improper operation cannot be repeated, is intermittent or just cannot be solved by the service engineer. In such cases the power injector is temporarily replaced and returned to the factory for a more thorough examination. Upon ine power injector being returned, factory personnel sometimes do not receive sufficient information about the power injector's defective operation to effectively resolve the problem. Therefore, there is a need for a better system of communicating defective operating conditions to factory personnel for service purposes. ~
f ,' [0012]Often power injector manufacturers embed all possible features into the injector's software, even though some customers do noi want particular features.
Manufacturers do this to reduce the development cost and the complexity of installations. Hevvaver; v,i,on the manui;,rLturer h::~ a very Jhligi~, value foature, tho i v'3t na t ;
m-'~unuf<:''ctur-or . ';;;r; cc_.-ef;aciivr~ aClc;i ac i c i~ Fl ' 't bctter iut or,iy ti~usG ~,u:.:Qwcrs who have paic *or i*.. ; r~rcrore, there is a need for a system that permits a manufacturer to embed, ail operating features but 2;utomaticaii;=
activate only those features that a particular customer has purchased.
[001 3]There is also a need for an automated system that tracks syringes from the time they are filled with a contrast media, through their distribution to a health care facility and/or an imaging suite, through the injection of the contrast media from the syringe and then the disposal or authorized refilling of the syringe. There is a furthe:
nved for..S".' sy;ieri" i} 00111i;li.i1 .1-:... ~IUil rCgdiCiiilg tf;
:njoctiun of conirasi rnedia to patient records. I

iai.Lt~i:;, ..L.. .
and use of other pharmaceuticals such as radioaciive pharrnaceuticals or radiopharmaceuticals. Radiopharmaceuticals, are often prepared at a radiopharmacy in which a syringe or vial may be filled with a desired quantity of the radiopharmaceutical. The syringe or vial may theii be placed into a container called a "pig" that generally includes lead and/or other radiation shielding materiai to protect handlers from exposure to radiation from the radiopharmaceutical. After delivery, the pig may be opened; the syringe or vial may be removed; and the radiopharmaceutical may be administered to a patient. The used syringe or vial may then be put back in the pig, and pig und syringe or vial may be returned :o ,i ;u radiopharmacy for disposai 26 of the syringe and reuse or disposal of the pig. For purposes of this document, the term "container" means a structure for holding a radiopharmaceutical and from which the radiopharmaceutical may be dispensed, for example, a syringe, vial, etc.
[0015] Some radiopharmacies have nuclear medicine tracking systems that use bar code readers to read bar codes on prescription labels to facilitate shipment and receipt of the radiopharmaceutical pig and syringe or vial. Therefore, a person in a receiving nuclear medicine department can scan the prescription label on the pig to enter data into a procedural data system. While this known use of bar codes has improved the reliability of passing prescription information through a distribution channel, bar codes have a significant disadvantage. Bar codes store only a limited Page 5 [
I

amount of information, are "read only"devices and therefore, do not permit coded information to be changed or updated or new duta .o be added to the prescription labels. Further, a bar code must be in a"tine of s1ohY' of a reader to be useful.
.
[0 016] Whilr; a s;::~ge .. .~,.~ ~ ~p ~ uy b ~ dis ... . .. pC,,,,;
[)i(J i3 cleaned ;ir' ~ J
attach a pharmaceuticai label to a pig, it is known ta at:ac;h lhe labei to the pig with elastic bands, resitieot clear plastic sleeves, etc. 1jV; ~ile ~;uch techniques make a pig easier to clean for reuse, they do have a disadvantage in that reliably maintaining a label and pig together may require substantial human effort in initially applying the label and then checking and double checking the correctness of the label and pig combination over the iife of the prescription.
[0017]The proper handiing and use of radiopharrnaceuticals may be said to require hioni;/ GISCih !;ac; un '.r lur3 Z:, .. ~w i IS .ri[~11~ .v . y small, errors still occur in the handling and delivery of radiopharmaceuticals, Thus, 'lfe~f4 17 addresses the disadvantages described above.
Summanr [0018]The present invention is generally directed to rnariaging information relating to a medical fluid, a container therefor, and/or a medical fluid administration device.
Containers of the invention typically have a data tag associated therewith to enable information to be read from and/or written to the data tag of the container.
This allows information regarding the container arid/or the medical fluid associated therewith to be ascertained, and optionrall,.,:apdated, for example, during between various stages of manufacture, transport, storage, use, and/or disposal.
[0019]As used herein, a "medical fluid" generally refers to a fluid that is designed to be administered (e.g., intravenously) to a medical patient as a part of a medical procedure (e.g., diagnostic procedure, therapeutic procedure).
Examples of.medical fluids include, but are not limited to, contrast rriedia, radiopharmaceuticais, and saiina.
A"container" of the invention generally refers to any container designed to have a medical fluid disposed therein. Examples of containers of the invention include, but are not limited to, syringes, IV bags, and bulk contrast media containers. An "adrninistration device" of the invention refers to any electro,lic device designed to at least assist in transferring medical fluid from a container to a patient.
Examples of .

medical fluid administration devices of the invention include, but are not limited to, infusion pumps and power injectors.
r s ect of the invention rinyu -'~- hav=ng a medical fluid 10020]A f~ st ap is directed to a sy ~ ~

'+ispCs-e''~ :herein. The -,yr ingo jpr;iud,n_, 1, a daia tag iGr aCvni i~y Gat::;, Jucll as data r fl~ ~7 . :,'./ar~ c1i.

an electronie coupon code for sales of further products. incidentally, a "data tag"
i1 erein refers to any device capable of having data etectrornagnoticaliy read therefrom and/or written thereto (e.g., RFID tag).
[0021]A second aspect of the invention is directed to a medical fluid administration device capable of at least assisting in delivering a medical fluid from a container to a patient in a medical procedure. The container includes a data tag for storing data, and ihe administratfon device n,cludes an electromagnetic device. t;erein, an . . .. n ~".~.,. . n : . G., ... . = . .
",,, = -.Ce , ,i~i=lc..;,t'c."(;'v."i.,"., a,u ~..,1~acVl:;i: l;c.iN...ti.:<~ .,i li,i~,~,iit:u.Ci;c~ly reading Gate from and/or writing data to a data tag. The data read from the da:a tag may fn cohfin-.lr"a;n ?
the administration device, a product promotion, and/or an electronic coupon code for purchases of further products. In the case of the data tag including data relating to configuration information, and upon the data being read from the data tag by the electromagnetic device, the configuration information may be used by the administration device to execute a self-configuration cycle.
[0022]A third aspect of the invention is directed to a system for iase in association with =
a medical fluid administration device. The system inclUdes a service data tag (e.g., as a component of a badge or card) that may be used by service personnel, and an eiectromagnetic device associated with the administration device. This electromagnetic device is operable to read data from and/or write data to the service data tag (e.g., to provide data relating to an Identity of the service person and/or configuration information for that particular administration device).
(0023]With regard to this third aspect of the invention, the administration device of ;vrna embodments may enable a se;vice mode upon the e(eciroma;ynetic device detecting data from the service data tag. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic device may write data to the service data tag that relates to service activity information, administration device configuration information and/or administration dvvice use information (e.g., fluid administration protocol statistics, container identifications, medical fluid use information).

rl [0024]A fourth aspect of the invention Is directed to a warmer for warming a container =
having a medical fluid disposed therein. The container has a data tag for storing data associated therewith. The warmer includes both a heating element for elevating the temporature of ih8 rrredical fluid and 3n electrorrtagneti,.; ~;evi4e operable o read da'a ) from _ = c/
ccncain data (whieh rnay be read by the electromagnetic device) relating to the amount of ined.ical iluid in the container, the concentration of the medical flui j, manufacturing information regarding the medical fluid and/or the container, the container capacity, the container dimensions, a use code for the medical fluid, and ~=
configuration information for a medical fluid administration device to be used in administering the medical fluid to'a patient, [Ou25j4Vith regard to this fourth aspect of the invention, some embodima-:ts muy . . , , a'2}c rf o. (;E3 f~c.s., i.~.u c11 ~~.,'=l.:iV(1 vi u e vtiiiiti6 r in tre warmer. In some embodiments, tho :.>Ic'ctromagnetic device r nay be used to 1(' ~p,=;+n ~'-.}_= .nr +j~.'1 tn +~e v t'~{ o,.'~ .,~-.r= , r. '' .. : .
.,.....:.. ~' .~...~ .:.._.. ...1., ,} ..~. ..r.,.., .
electromagnetic device may be used to wrtr data to (andlor read data from) the data tag that relates to a date the container was placed in the warmer, an expiration date for contrast media in the container, and/or administration information for an administration device to be used in administering the medicai fluid in the container.
10026] Still a fifth aspect of the invention is directed to a container having a medical fluid disposed therein and a data tag associated therewith. In the case that the medical fluid is a radiopharmaceutioal, the data on the data tag of some embodiments may relate to an identity of the radiopharmaceutical, a radioactivity ievel of tho radiopharrnaceutieal, manufacturing iniori7:ation ior the radiophannaceuticai, a use code for the radlopharmaceutical (e.g., identifying whether a radiopharmaceutical I
container has previously been used in a radiopharmaceutical adm+nistration procedure), and/or configuration information for an administration device to be utilized in administering the radiopharmaceutical (e.g., a code that is required by the administration device prior to usa of a software update for iiie administration device, a product promotion, references to information).
[0027]Yet a sixth aspect of the invention is directed to a radiopharmaceutical administration device for use in administering a radiopharmaceutical to a patient. This administration device is designed to at least assist in delivering a radiopharmaceutical from a container to a patient. The container has a data tag associated therewith, and F I

!
the administration device includes an electromagnetic device for reading data from and/or writing data to the data tag. in some embodiments, the data included on the data tag identifies the amount and/or identity of radiopharmaceutical in the container, manufacturing information for the r~~'i~r ~-:~n:aceutical in the 5 wr,~r=ctivity level of the radicn' . i: E'-; :h3 c:ontain~,r, radiopharmaceuticai in the container, configuration information for the administration f, devics to be used in administe, inc, L:Ihe radiopharmaceutical frorn tjh~;
container, and/or particular data regarding a radiopharmaceutical container previously used with the administration device. In some embodiments, tho data tag may sture data indica-tive of coniiguration ir-formation for the administration device that includes a code required by the administration device p(or to use of the radiopharmaceutical container (e.g., cfu.a used by the administratior, L~evic;:, in self-conf9guration uaoi-, raad;r:g of the data tac!), a software update for the a.dõnir' isi; ation device, a prodt+c't and/or i'i~~'..IFl~"Ii.C:J i~ i("ii0i'(77dtlOn. t=O: :i;it: ,soi(~S
r3i'i}'aodirflt3iltS, iltb :ii'ilirtistratiofl 1.r.> i''.V1~f? may utliiZ an eipctronir ..'. C~~ !r Ci..i~ l~õ~ ;il 'i( '' Cj;, ~t ~ .~ u .v=~ '~ ~
'urther products.
[0028]A seventh aspect of the invention is directed to a system for use in a medical procedure with respect to a patient, The system includes a hospital information system, a container having a medical fluid disposed therein, and an administration device for administering the medical fluid to a patient. Associated with the container is a data tag that is readable by electromagnetic signals and that stores signals representing product promotions, coupons, Internet links of the supplier, and/or recommended software updates for administration devices with which the container is ~
intended fGr use. The systenl aisl includes ar~ :lectramagnet;;; dcVi,:; ior reautng data from and/or w(ting data to the data tag associated with the container.
This electromagnetic device may be mounted on the administration device and is preferably in electrical communication with both the hospital information system and the administration device (e.g., the control thereof).
t0028]Still further, the system inoludes an imaging apparatua CT scanner) that includes an Imaging control, which is preferably in electrical communication with the hospital information system, the controi of the administration device, and the electromagnetic cfevice. incidentaify, "electrical communication" or the like herein refers to objects that are directly and/or indirectly connected in a manner such that electricity (e.g., data in the form of electronic signals) can be conveyed between them.

injection, infusion) of the medical fluid may Data associated with administration (e.g., be transferred between the hospital information system, the data tag, the control of the r administration 'device, and the imaging control. Some embodiments of this seventh wzC? r' r?1a\, inCl!'=d a !~rint,:r In with _.,":iiioil uf.'viCe ..
t-. õ" : ~n rol thereof).
[003UlHr, eighth aspect of the invention is directed to an administration device for use NIV.:'': _.;.ntainer having medic,al,':ui~ ~,_~u;;Gd. in sorfie embooirnents, ,iiecficai fluid is metallic andlor diamagnetic. The container has a data tag that is readable by electromagnetic signals associated thorevvitti, and the administration device includes 10 ai i eiecttomagnetic device adapted to read data from and/or write data to the data tag.

. in sor,ie ernbodiments, this electromagnetic device includes first and second antenna !co?::~ ;, -;)-~'ch of which forms one side of :--, V-shape and is tuned to '~:i rddic.:. irec;uency.
Cac~ iof the first and second antenna loops rnay include a signal lead and a ground t , i~a'.i.
..,n to'"?
of some embodiments may include first and s:-cond tuning eircuits that corraspond with the first and second antenna loops. These tuning circuits may each inclLde an input and an output. The output of the first tuning circuit may be connected to the signa1 laacE of the first antenna loop anc: rnay l'unction io tune the first anienna ioop to a radio frequency. Similarly, the output of the second tuning circuit may be connected to the signal tead of the second antenna loop and may function to tune the second Ir antenna loop to a radio frequency (e.g., the same radio frequency as the first antenna loop). The second antenna loop of the -!nctromagnetic device may be nonparallel if (e.g., form ar, angle of less than 130 with the first antenna ;oop.
26 [0032]Some embodiments af this eighth aspect may include additional antenna loops beyond the first and second antenna loops, For instance, some embodiments may include a third antenna loop having both a signal lead and a ground lead, and a third tuning circuit that includes an input and an output. As with the outputs of the first and second tuning circuits, the output of t"c tuning circuit may be cora;e;;teu w Jne signal lead of the third antenna loop and may function to tune the third antenna loop to a radio frequency (e.g., the same radio frequency as the first and/or second antenna loop).

[0033]in some embodiments of the eighth aspect of the invention, the administration device may be utili2ed to support the container. For instance, in some embodiments, I

the administration device is an electronic fluid injector, and the electromagnetic device is mounted in association with the injector. The administration device may include both a first printed circuit board that supports the first antenna ioop and the first tuning C'irrlli' and n second Nr;.~,ted CircL'I'; ,')Card thiai Supports tfic second antenna loop and the second t.u:ling circuit. The iirst printed circuii board may be oriented in any cf a number of appropriate orientations relative to Lhe second circuit'board. For instance, F A PYri~i'C~imG7 ;r 4 n f' ri , i , . ... - . ~c=C .
in ~:71'?l ric. ir.~. ull C~l it..7.> E(l~ACI "dt1C)Ul degrees with the second printed circuit board. The first, printed circuit board may support a driver circuit electrically connecta'uia ,o tho first antenna loop, the sE:cond antenna iuup, ihe first tuning circuit, and/or the second tuning circuit. This driver circuit may include a power terminal and a ground terminat.
10034]In sorr~ embodiments of this cig":,'; asn:xt, the input.of the firs' turiirig circuit is j.i:)'vV$r terrirlnai, elfl(i ii : i'i~aU Oi the ilr$t antBnnc3 iGOp 1:i . ,i ~Urld tGri.lir3ai, irl auUiiiv4 7, Ii;s 1;1pCit 01' ttl.ji secona Eutirng l:irc;UlE I~3 1 5 nnt .oT'rl.?r, , f ~r ~r~~r ~~ , . , ..
second an,onila ieop is connected .o the grourlci ~err;linai.
[0435] In other embodiments of the eighth aspect, the inpt;t of the first tuning ci;cuit is not connect~d to the powertArminal or trv tt:riliirlc~,i, C.ird thC:
~1,r(Jliriu J first antenn~:'rC1p is cOnnC'Ct--d to the yrGl.:i,;"" in 1114~
111i.:lui,..i ii,;

second tuning circuit is connected to the power terminal, and the ground lead of the second antenna loop is connected to the ground terminal.
[4036]ln sti!l other embodiments of the eighth aspect, the input of the first tuning circuit is connected to the power terminal, and the ground iead of the first antvn.i'.a loop is can- tc the ground terminal. In ;fh~; inpU'~ of TiE; second 'LL;ri;,1 circuit is conriected to the ground terminal, and the ground lead of the second antenna loop is connected to the ground terminal.
[0037] 1n yet other embodiments of the eighth aspect, the input of the first tuning circuit is connected to the ground terminal, and the ground lead of the first antenna tur ;,~ f I
loop is connected to the ground terminal. In addition, the input of the second circuit is connected to the power terminal, and One ground lead of the second anter'rna loop is connected to the ground terminal. [0038]Some embodiments of the eighth aspect may be equipped with a switching circuit including first and second switches. The first switch may include a first contact connected to the input of the first tuning circuit, a second contact connected to the Page '1 i ~

~ ~. . .

ground terminal, a third contact connected to the power terminal, and a fourth contact . .' not connected to the ground terminal or the power terminal. This first switch is preferably operable to electrically connect the first contact with at least one of the saoonti cor-iact, the ti)irci contdci and trie fourtn corrtaci. Simitarry, the secUnti switeh may include a fifth co~tac+ connected to the inpjt of thr r~~orr' " ri9rig circuit, a sixth contact connected to the ground terminal, a seventh contact connectod to the power te:r:lina[, ai~~ arl c~,tyi::i~ ~~~1ta4i ilot (:onr'iectz~ io the ~roiitii:~ t~rr ill~ai oi u~2 EioLver' . terminal. This second switch is preferably operable to electricaity connect the fifth contact with at least one of the sixth contact, the seventh cuntact and the eighth contact, [0039][n a ninth aspect, the invention is directed to a method of using a medical fluid administration device that includes an electromagnetic ctovice operable tu read data lr=Um, and,cr write rJata . a dwta tatd. i his data tag is aJ_ :J iatc ,viti ; a ccr,tainer ultur nLis rrledlcal rlula c,t!spoLc'ci therain. In thiu :letl,od, i;rst :,=id cc'-nd antenrta ioops o' .1, ...,7 ~tfl.. -......,~-~.. .. _... .,... 4. ~ .Ir.~.ttv....y ..........,..~_i.. .. :..........L., wi.. f.~.dt..s:ILI. ..... . are tuned to a substantially identical radio frequoricy. --i"hese fir5tand second anterir3 L:

loops may be oriented in a nonparallel relationship relative to one another.
An electromagnetic (e.g., Rr) communication may be atL l npted betwe,~n tho electromagnetic device and the data tag, at least in part, by providing electromagnetic power to the first circuit configuration. A determination may be made as to whether or not electromagnetic communication is or was established between the electromagnetic device and the data tag. [f it is determined that electromagnetic communication is/was not made, the first and second antenna loops may be e:ectrically reconnected iri a further (e.g., second) circuir oonfiguration different froni the first circuit configuration, Then, another electromagnetic communication between the electromagnetic device and the data tag may be attempted, at least in part, by providing electromagnetic power to the further circuit configuration. The process of determining whether or not an electrical communication exists, electrically reconnecting the first and second antenna foops, a r-~a ~ttempting another electromagnetic communication may be repeated as desired (e.g., until determining that a successful electromagnetic communication has been established between the electromagnetic device and the data tag).

[00401A tenth aspect of the invention is directed to a method of using a medical fluid administration device that includes an electromagnetic device operable to read data . ~ ~
from and/or write data to a data tag. In this method, a data tag is disposed near an antenna system of the electromagnetic device, and a material that interferes with electromagnetic signals (e.g,, metallic i-naterial, diamagnetic materiai) is disposed :,&, fõuln; the data tag and ira :;y;;teni, Evei) though c;ie iiiGteyiai is disposed 5 f?P?ween the data tag and the -.n+snna system, data ma%,s101 k ~' r tromaq~eticall;r ,,,ad rrom and/or writter, io trie uata :ag us:r,~g the efect;c m r,ii c_;evice and the ~
system thereof.
[0041 ]ln some embodinients of this tenth aspect, the data tag is a component of a container that has medical fluid (which, in this case, is or ~nciu~e, :i +o material) disposed therein. In such embodiments, the medical fluid may be, for example, water, saline, contrast media, or a combination thereof. In such embodiments, the container f.:,~ be placed near (e ca., ir, (r;.ict vrith) [!::, admini,t; a manner such .;);: cla:a tag of th~ .,_ . .~ted r :?c a,~. , . ~ ;;
ia;erial in the container is !ocateci between !he data tar ,'.;-,'~~nna system.
,_ .. , .. . i.. -, .,.,r nh.nr~,~ .,,,,_. .._., ... ,~_ _. .__ ,~.-. _.
.r...= ,.. . = . _., thareof may be components of !he adrninistration device.
[0042]Some embodiments of the antenna system of'this tenth aspect may include first and second wntvnnu !ooNs. In thesp e m b ouiments, t'r,e :,: ::-cond a~:~1;n loops may be electrically connected in a first antenna configuration, and electromagnetic signals from this first antenna configuration may be emitted to at least attempt to electromagnetically read data from and/or electromagnetically write data to the data tag. In response to a failure to electromagnetically read data from and/or electromagnetically write data to the data tag when the first and second antennas are lii 1J:1e first coniiguration, 'ii"12 sECOtil.i antenna loops n~&y ;:c;
i:iuCtriCc3iiy reconnected in another (e.g,, second) antenna configuration, and electromagnetic signals from the new antenna configuration may be emitted to again at least attempt to electromagnetically read data from and/or electromagnetical!y write data to the data tag.
0043]!n an el verth a peõ' ,hc in,~.'r1,+IC)li is directed a ~ ~' ~ ~. =Ev u a tl~~iat ~
0 includes a medical fluid containGr that is enclosabie inside ari (;nu;osure.
Associaied with the container are both a data tag that includes a data store and an antenna system that is electrically connectable to the data tag, The construction of the enclosure of this eleventh aspect is such that a frequency of electromagnetic signal necessary to read data from and/or write data to the data tag is substantially prevented from passing through the material of the enciosure. The antenna system of this eleventh aspect is designed so that an antenna thereof is located outside the enclosure while the container and the data store of the data tag are enclosed in the er;ciCsUre. 7i,iS aei111iis data to 1:U~; itts:i, ctilu%O~'liirrittet"i YU the data store whila tha ~nn~qiln- inri tha r1r3t,1 r, nr, the +rnCioSUre.
[0044]5tii1 a hvelfth a.spe~' }x the invention is directcd tc;
r:uicpharmaceutical . j.
assembly that includes a radiopharmaceutical container (e.g", a syringe having a rudiopharmaceu;icut disp;.s ; tharoin) and a radioplia:n,,u;;~:u.<<,:ui pig tliat is ili enclosable about the container to fully surround and support the container. In addition, this twelfth aspect includes a data tag that inciudes a data store and that is ~attache!' to :he radi-; container. Ac ui;t,,,r::. i:; eieLtric;'ai,y , .,~r~..Fciti~ v .- 'r',n iadlJpiui~,... ... .,....,,..;! \~11)j liiE.

-~i , .., t.v rt.~l_ J=r~' -- ti tii~~ radicF~ildrt7kcn.;t nr'IC1 , r ~yJtC~~
c.~t:4Z.t'ihed thelc:i~ ' being .r . . tl: :y ...~ai i: ui ". ... -:jn ~!yF!}r1 ~\r'i ..'= . ., J~ . ,.. . = , . ' ..., : = :j .
. ... , , .~ .... ....... ... . .. ..... ."~.. . ..~ r.,i.i.. u .
radiopharmaceutical pig is cioscd around the radiophurrr7u3i container and t'r,u, data tag.
04513In some embod;mcr,.,> of this tvrsl;ill aspect, tha .'~~iic;;izurn~aceuticai pig may be characterized as having both a first pig component (e.g., a base) adapted to 20 support the radiopharmaceutical container with the data tag and a second pig component (e.g., a cap) that is attachable to the first pig component and adapted to fully enclose the radiopharmaceuticai container with the data tag within the radiopharmaceuticai pig, In such embodiments, the antenna system may be adapted b~.1 c-iBi.tricaliy cantie;;i~.U~~ :u ii ii3 uu,LFx ;%:i~ ui7uti t'[18 i:ontainer 25 being placed in the first pig component of the radiopharmaceutical pig. The antenna system of these embodiments permits data to be read from and/or written to the data store of the data tag whiie the first pig component is attac,",ed to tiie second pig component and while the radiopharmaceuticai container and the data tag are enciosnd inside the radi~~~ Y ; : ,~ ' ' '"
:iOn=ir the antenna system may be u; ;.rõer,na e;ectrically irui,,,c:,;tsu ~o tha Oata taC,3, an inner antenna adjacent an inner surface of one of the first pig component and the second pig component, an outer antenna adjacent an outer surface of one of the first pig component and the second pig component, and a conductive lead electrically connecting the inner antenna with the outer antenna. The antenna of some embodiments of the twelfth aspect may be attached to (e.g., fixed to) the radiopharmaceutica{ container.
[0046]Still referring to the twelfth aspect of the invention, some embodiments of the antenna system may be chaY~,cte-;zat~ ns hc'~.v;i':g'. an 'JCatub{c~: vJtsidev il'1C
radiopharmaceutical pig, and a conductive lead thAt h~ts nnP Pnci cnn~"~"te=!
to tt,r.

,'i!it:Cl il?r3 ra(i I:) J{+...i."i'.s ,i(';cii ,U{g ctnU ail 0ppU5iTe ::11Cl ~;f1-1C l;if.'Cl to the ',n' ri,, ?4 ;oca,ted outside the ;'udiopho , rl, tceuticai pig.

(0047] In yet a thirteenth aspect, the invention is directed to a power injector capable of supporting , '"'"
a syringe that has a medical f{uid disposed therein. Fariicu.i:,~,,,, the medical fluid is located between.a plunger and a discharge tip of the syringe.
The syringe includes a data tag for storing data that is electromagnetically readable from the d?ta tag, The injector o"his thir'- ,;;3pect ir~Cla":'es idJiriq a _ adnptcd lQ 'lt..,..~ . . . . .. . .~ i__. ~'.wi~~~ -. ... ., , ., .,~+.% .
'1jE)clnf cC)!ltC)~ ~f + f ' .. i . . O!? r?}
,.~ . =.,.. , , . ..
Fu;'?rt;?r, f;n ~Iectromaonetic in electrical cornmunication with the ir~j~~c or control. This electrornagr.
,,.i~ devica includes a plurality of antennas operative to transmit electromagnetic signals to and "'. . ~! .:af _a t~~' ,g f ,..~~.g., ~.-ac+
receive electromagnetic signals from +th+. to Y { d'~.l: ' 'i', t~,c.d~.:~l>..'~.. -tag).
[0048]in some embodiments of this thirteenth aspect, the electromagnetic device may include a piurality of tuning circuits electrically connected to respective antennas for tuning the respective antennas to a desired frequency(ies). For instance, in some embodiments, the tuning circuits may be utilized to tune the respective antennas to a rrC?ml+P=11:4nf R!x;t}t 1~.5fi may be electrically connectable to the tuning circuits and the injector control. This E., driver circuit may function to provide drive signals to the tuning circuits causing the respective antennas to transmit eiectrornagnetic signals to and receive electromagnetic signals from the data tag (e.g., to read data stored in the data tag).
Sorrre embodiments may include a circuit e!ectrica!!, co.,~.cc' ,con :he 30 driver circuit and the tuning circuits. ,witching circuit may be u:iiizeii to connect ~.~
the antennas in different circuit configuratians, fn some embodiments, at least one of the switching circuit and the driver circuit are located in the powerhead of the injector.
[0049]Stiil referring to the thirteenth aspect of the invention, some embodiments of the powerhead may include a forward end adapted to receive and support the syNnge.
In Page 15 some embodiments, this forward end may include or be characterized as a mount of sorts adapted to accommodate (e.g., receive and support) the syringe.. In some embodiments, the mount may include a pressure jacket for supporting the syringe. In such embodiments, the antenrias may be mounted on the pressure jacket. Some ombodiments of the mount may not includG afJrassure iacket. Sorrl6rrr':oci~nn~
ryF
tr-e mourit may in4lucie what may be referreu to as a cradle to support the syringe. In cradle.

0050]Sorne embodiments of t: ~ thii:;;oni ; asp-~,c: Ma}/ h,ave a pit6Silta jaC:kol tildt includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve disposed about the inner sleeve.
One or more antennas may be located between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve of the ~ _ ii a it c ~. ...r,.... - 1 0 'G~if TlEil '1 .~ ~ '", c"1, j:%i i Ui El~ .
z,)' u - i 'r.'i ~
,.wr~ a G~ . GOr i ~
.. . f1.,,.. . a, : : Bti7 ritE:iltlaS f11'cay C)t:
.
~,.osed between the innc a~7 .J, V .~,.... r J f'L,t:,uF'iJr C~ 1 , ... . ..:1-il 4'~~1.!Liil~~ ~wi::v~:4,1 ...=J.''lJl ... ( . . ..r. .= - -- i J .j -õ'r,.;
. .. . . . . . .

Nc, .~' l:)" (.l ic 'rl'vif7'"'7n ry i i1 l it flr', ; ~ I~.='"" ~ l=~i1' 'uS .~
JC71'fl8 Gn1t~QC liTlt'nTS Of '~t' irlclude a heater (e.g., for heating the medical fluid disposed in the syringe). For example, in some embodiments, ti~c. ~"le~}er rYl:a~~ }J-.''~. ~.:::i~~cheG' ii :ri a':oi11r7t3r1 (l: of e::.
pressure jacket of the Injector. As another example, in some embodiments, the heater may be attached to or a component of a cradle of the injector. In embodiments equipped with a heater, the heater may be electrically connected to the injector control.
[0052]The syringe employed in this thirteen aspect of the invention may exhibit any of of ~:ppropi'1at0 ui::ui ui uat;ylialcu.,;iguiations. ror if15td11(;e, in somE,' embodiments, the plunger of the syringe is substantially wholly contained within a barrel of the syringe. Further, the syringe employed in this thirteen aspect of the EI
invention may exhibit any of a number of appropriate sizes (e.g., volume capacities).
As an example, the syringe of some embodiments exhibits a volumetric capacity c nl hlp of accommodatinr a%e n+,,;~~,~, flui~? !~ Gxcess :; . ~ ;c~: ;,..
.::..
- .

fourteenth aspect of :hc is d;rected .o afu, ;nanaging data relating to a container and/or a medical fluid disposed therein. The container includes a data tag operable to have data written thereto and read therefrom. A filling station of the system may be utilized to place the medical fluid in the container. This filling station includes an electromagnetic device operable to at least write data (e.g., = I
~..~ \../
I
relating to the fluid in the container) to the data tag. Further, a disposal station of the system may be utilized in disposing of andJor preparing for disposal of the container (which may or may not still have medical fluid therein). This disposal station also includes an electromagnetic device operable to write data (e.gõ relating to disposal of the container) to the data tag. The system mav -nlsa includp a hosnita?
irfo~~~~~ ~~
, CuCif'qlllcignCtiC U"L''viCeS U! ll4N
system.
[0054]Ir- some embodiments of.this fourteenth aspect, the system may include a warmer that may be utilized to hcat the flu!d ;;; :i -- r.:n,e,iner. This warmer is gerioraii=y equipped with, an electromagnetic device operable to write data (e.g., relating to placing the container in and/or removing the container from the warmer) to the data tag. [OQ55~Snm~ =,.~,ho~-!?!!er?ts Of h~ f!)lfit~~' ts i::'f :ilclude amE3d(~i.'' administra;i,:)r : .. ~ ice. For t!;'C'umple, in ~Ji";1 1; iiPrltS, ul ~.'~'-aGmiliistrZ':iOi 1 u~ ..
is a povy,Lr in ~ctor for use with a syrinae. T",:
., Coritrol :i.rld an 3i?Cii'E>i'(ldgne6c device tilui i3 c;~=:;i~ ;;iy cCnrieCted :o the tUntr:3i w~~.
operable to write data (e.g., relating to administratiori of the medical fluid into the patient) to the r ata tao.
[0458] In some embodiments, the systertt of tlse fourt2enth aspect may include a packaging station that may be used in placement of the container into a package.
This packaging station may include an electromagnetic device operable to write data (e.g., relating to the package, the fluid and/or the container) to the data tag, [0057]Some embodiments of the system may include a storage area for storing the centair.or (ev;r-naY or may not already irave thc medical rluid disposed iherein).
This storage area generally includes an electromagnetic device operable to write data ;.:
(e.g., relating to placing the syringe in and/or removing the syringe from the storage area) to the data tag.
[0058]ln some embodiments of the fourteenth aspect, the medical fluid that is in or is to be placed in tY?e container is a radia h4~rm, c.;u''c ~!, 1õ ~-uch em'bodimcntc, a 30 pack oinn s ;4t.if,n (A.r.. radiopharmacy) of '.~ ~,ay be used station m;} ~ o~
of the container into a radiopharmaceutical pig. Further, the packaging ~~
utilized when placing the radiopharmaceutical pig in a package (e.g., a transport package). This packaging station may include an electromagnetic device operable to k...

write data (e.g., relating to the radiopharmaceutical, the container, the pig, and/or the package) to the data tag.
[0059]Some embodiments of the system may include a calibration station that includes an electromagnetic device operable to write data (e.g., relating to radioactivity levei of '?'~ >'~,1inhharmaceLltica.t in th~ ~;.,, ,; , ~ F~
+f~~ ~~+~ .,,~ ~',=;~
... . , ,,oty ;iICIUC.je a Ii,,ctE11,3iic vViic:(E.-' radioph~rrnc6at'c" e e ; ' ' u c~ .. ~, 1J r c''.'Ive~ c'7r ~.i il;; V ii1@
radiopharmaceutical disposed therein is removed for administration of the radiopharmaccutica' c..
~ ~ntient. This - tic.. ~d+ trll 1v, .,. ii.~iy,I,,Z:'Ilil~ ' }.~iii~ ;'va an I V electromagnetic devic;e operable to write data (e.g., reiating to administration of the radiopharmaceutical to the patient) to the data tag. A storage area of the system may include an eiectromagnetic device operable to write data (e.g., relating to placing the pig into and,'or rn~n~ :r;y +'~ -~;g from the S:OruCJE L lc ta tag.
[ugU0]1,'drious it: iiGu, rxist of the teatures nuteu i~l reiaiion to ttle above-mentioned aspects V' .. , ~ent imiert:or. y aisa bs incorporated in !hr 't:~, ~ .1l' tit ~. _, ": iõ +Ibn aS wt:il. {'11C;;i;
c:~''~7ei; w~~ ~.
refinements and additional features may exist individ::uliy or in any combination. Far instance, var14US ffi ''..'C ?S (,Ii:?cusSPd ~Gl~v',"J :l Gi:Gi;;~,~:;;jl ~ ~.
embodiments of the present invention may be incorparatGti ir,to any of the aspects of the present invention alone or in any combination.

Brief Description of the Fiaures [0061]The accompanying figures, which are incorporatc'd herein and constitute a part of this specification, ii~uutraie exernplary cmbodiments ui crie irrverition and, together with a general description of aspects of the invention given above, and the detailed description of various exemplary embodiments given below, serve to explain various principles of the invention.
[0062)Fig. 1A Is a schematic drawing of a system for tra,*ng a syringe filled with contrast media over a syr~go fife cycle.

0 IOO631 Fi(7. 18 is ~ Sr~F'tnrrõ-+ih ri"~~~ iI~C' of ,''õi ;ltit:i.u 1 ~ c,. !,,~ ,',h'IN
radiopharmaceutical ovor C container life Cyct--.
[0064] Fig. 1 C is a schematic drawing of a system for traoking an IV bag filled with a ~. j medical fluid over an IV bag fife cycle.

f:' .

[0065]Figs. 2A-2D are perspective views of a syringe that illustrate different manners of applying a tracking device to a syringe filled with contrast media in the system shown in Fig. 1 A.
[0066] Fig. 3A is a schematic block diagr4rõ of components associated with ti ce . -~,~,~irspt~ tll,,,c+4r'ytn~) jr=. Fi.~ i /1 0-:viljrig. 38 is a sciiernatic biock diagrarn.of cornponerits associated with the ~i~{l~.
[0058]Fig. 3C is a schematic block diagram of components associated with the systorrl illustrated in Fig. IC. 10 [0069] Fig. 4 Is a schematic drawing illustrating activities and operations associated with use and disposal of a container of contrast media in an imaging suite.
[0070] Fig. 5A is a perspective vi!_ew of one embodiment of an injector that may be used in the system of Fig. 1A. [ut) i1]Fig. 5B is a perspective viev4 of an embodiment ef an injector and a field . õ i ~ i i ri+~ii l;;r fdri~tiiirlatlorl ccii_,~.' 'v3 iii :~iG ,~j1w'l.m :if '.F}. ,. ., ~(.;J:'~:; r ig. 6 is a flov~~:;hari af an ; xe:r+ipiary rnethod of ir~ai-iu;a::turing aru1 distribuiir,g a syringe or other container as shown in Figs. 1 A and I B.
[0073] Fig, 7 fs a flowchart of an e;:emp;;cry ;;ethod of stocking and preparing for use of a syringe or other container as shown in Figs. S A and 1B, 20 [0074] Fig. 8 is a flowchart of an exemplary method of using a syringe or other container as shown in Figs. 1 A and 1 B.

~" G' n n..nr....~~ ~h...l , t t='.r."t ' a~~='~~~ t~-[OQ7..1 ~ .~~C~':- 9=4&-,3 f i lA='s}~la;'~ t3f c.ln= tNarji ~~GUiv+.+v~
a11ofu ~iiaiii-c~~aii~c pivCess5 a syringe filled with contrast media as shown in Fig. 1A.
[0076] Fig. 10 is a schematic drawirig illustrating a variation in RF signal strength in 25 coupling a transmitting antenna with a receiving antenna angled with respect to the transmitting antenna.
[0077]Fig. 11 is perspective view of a contrast media power injector having an RF
data tag on a syringe mounted in a power injector.
[0078]Fig. 12 is a perspective view of ari exemplary ia syringe 31) positioned above a faceplate cf t. c"r;irast ti,tdia power injec:cr ,n=iuitipie, nonparallel antenna loops for a readl=,rrrita device in accorclanco ;rriih t},e principies of the present invention.
[0079] Figs. 13A-13D are schematic drawings of four different circuit configurations for the multiple, nonparallel antenna loops of Fig. 12.

[0080]Fig. 14 is a schematic drawing of the multiple, nonparallel antenna loops of Fig. 11 with switches for connecting the antenna loops in the four different circuit configurations of Figs. 13A-13D.
[0081] Fig. 15 is sc;tematic drawing of a fl-: vrchart illus;i uting a communications cyc;c 1a 1 .)i.. .._. . . . . . ..
[0032] Fig, 16 is a cross-sectienai drawirz ;;; h prossurs jacket for a cantraYi: :3; scliu ~
jiii'v'r i'J~ c. iiiui~iplC~,. l(;~C)p~., 1I
antenna syatani for the contrast media povj~,r in;ector similar to that illustra2od'- F.
12.
[0083]Fig. 17 is a schematic drawing of an electromagnetic radio frequency FWV
device utilizing the multiple loop, nonparallel antenna system of Fig. 16.

[0034] Fig. i illustrates different manr=e; ~-f .pplying a tracking device to radiopharmaceutical container and respect'Ne ;g in the system shown in Fig.
',.
[0085] Fig. 19 is a flowchart of an exemplary method of post-processing a 1 5 raC N, [E?G~Sji<ly, 20 is a perspective view or an r;rer ~piary embodiment of an RF
tag and antenna system that is applicable to a radiopharmaceutical syringe and associated radiopharmaceutical pig in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[0087] Fig. 21 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of an RF
tag and antenna system that is applicable to a radiopharmaceutical syringe and associated radiopharmaceutical pig in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[OQt?$1 Fn. 22 is a perspective view of a f-rth,?r exemplary embodiment of ~4-?~F tag and antenna system that is applicable to a radiopharmaceutical syringe anci associated radiopharmaceutical pig in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[0089] Fig. 22A is an exploded view showing a path of an antenna lead in the further embodiment of the radiopharmaceutical and associated radiopharmaceutical r;y -77y.22.
Detaller Description of Exemplary Fr~'- -~'imon*.o , [0090]Referring to Fig. 1A, an exemplary cmhodiment of a container life cycl~
1Sa relates to medical fluid containers, for example, a syringe 20 suitable for storing contrast media. The syringes 20 may be manufactured at a supplier facility 24 that is ij ~ ~
remote from a faciiity 42 in which a syringe 20 is to be used. Within the supplier facility 24, the syringe 20 is first filled with a contrast media at a filling station 28, and thereafter, labels 30 may be applied to respective syringes 20 at a labeling statior 32.
The syringLs 20 may then be packaged ::it,,_., riy or as a batch in ur;
Ci =~=.---n-=. .,L . .. ~ .. ~r.r.. n,~ !7~! ..... . . , . _ _ _ . ri I-..: r ..l'ti; ... _... .. r . . J i. ~c.. . i =ri= ~'..
may ~r U~;iy cfueu~d or stored ;~: ~, ,,c=~:iving ca~;~ar~rttcõi ,: ~.
= .y~ ,... . .. . j .. . ,, r ~ ~ ,~nc .. . _ .
~yi~~l.,.r 20 C-(1 ,.,,.. . .i~~=; L'uI IC~Ir,~ .~~L:i G~..., ic:
a ptarchasin;, ~ office 25 within a health carc 42, or a doc G~t r'~ GfP Ce 27 be part oi, ar inc)ependentfrom, the heaiilh cai t; fGcili,y 42. Further, the ordr;t"j,rt;:y or may not be associated with a particular patient.
[0092]Based on the orders, the shipping c~~!cnsmay enter a distribut'on ~!-S~~nG) 40 by which V~ey may be delivered to varic 42, for example, image service providers, and/or other health C-are facilities. in the example of Fis. 1A, the facility 42 is a hospital that has a shippincJreceiving area 44 for receiving th:
', ~=~ ,r ., . . . , ~.. .
Cui ~~:i. ,,=_,. ,., ri~i~,f Syrirl,r'ye5 Gvn. ,.C!(.,_= _ , , ,:i'. iwrBin Container iiiai i5 designed to be sold and/or de;ivered to a user with at iea:>t sotne medical fluid already disposed in the container. Often, the cartons 34 are temporariiy stored in a room 46 that may or may not be associated with a pharmacy within the hospital 42. As desired, the cartons 34 may be transferred to a preparation room 46 at which the syringes 20 may be unpacked and placed in a warming oven 36 to raise the temperature of the contrast media up to about body temperature (e.g., between about 97 F and about 100 F). At appropriate times, one or more syringes 20 may be removed from the warming oven 36, carrieci to the imaging suite 26a and loF~-!c,,C! into a powered fluld in}actor 50. The injector 50 operates to inject the contrast riuid iniu a+7 examination subject or patient 52. After use, the spent syringe 20 may be processed for an altthorized refilling or disposed of (e.g., in a disposal area 112) in a known manner. For purposes herein, the term "prefilled syringe" means a syringe 20 prefilled with a medical fluid (e.g., contrast media) at a location remote from the preparatlon roo~ ,=~~ :.~ r, 3~;~~ ~ulte iJa.
~II
[0093]As with any substanCe to be injEcLu' ati a, timai, there are a c::u;
,... y r,.dgulat;'z,d ;a:, c''..C:"~~",,t~ as well as ,nreguia,',..~i: rjrcGi.
it~~'=~$., ~~ ~u ~ '~~"t are ~ .t ~.
followed in the filling, distribution, preparatiori and use of a prefilled syringe. Further, the regulated and common practices may differ depending on the type of contrast media being used. Consequently, it is generally desirable to generate and provide a =
fl substantial amount of data relating to the handling of the syringe 20 throughout its life E
cycle, for example, at substantially every step from its filling to its disposal. Further, it is generally preferred that the data be iransferable from one location, fcr axampite, the respective fi?!ing and labeling stations 2S, '32, ..~ ther location, for examp:~, ~~.
_'~ rr~[-YtQnlji, . . .- ...'!1Y1 f-l!~(~ fr++~.. -. .= . ,, . . . . _ ..,. .
. . =, ._.... I,, . _,. ~.
.. .. . _.y , .

and trGtns(eIrl:u d1'SU~Ur flS%nd VY(rSIC() ictr ailqc' syrinc~es 20 ard/ar a fped and/or ;;ar: d :.,,.
records associated therewith. However, '"a lila of a syringe 20, the da:u 13, f~' in computer sys,e~'r!s iiiO:i desired l+'... t often, not ~ ~ Le ir~lf".'. !(.1(G1J iAC~J
sometimes, in databases that may not be compatible.
[0094] In order to provide a common data acquisition and storage system for eaci7 syringe 20, which can be utilized during any nortion, and at every stac.de, of the container Gte .ycle 18a, a system of r~Jic ;re~a ,;;cy identification tievi:.
and readers Is used.
~r .1,. , ,,= R~ala i spc~7~' "" !
100951Tt? 1 nhi~-ct nf -.rt RFlD-based .S
.,:. n known as tags, and to retrieve data, by niactl ir~e-readable means, at a suitabid t;me and place to satisfy a particular application need. Thus, a tag or transponder may typically include an RF driver circuit and associated antenna. The RF driver circuit often utilizes an integrated circuit chip having a programmable processor and associated memory, which are capable of storing the data and performing necessary demodulation and, if applicable, modulation functions. Data within a tag may provide any manner of information relating to a prefiiled syringe that is useful over the life of the syringe. It is generally preferred that an RF'!Q system inciude a means for reaciiny {
data fron-), ariu ;;; sorne appiications, wriiirig c;aia io, ine tags, as weil as a rr)ealis ior communicating the data to a computer or information management system. Thus, an RFID system preferably has the versatility to porrnit data to be written into, arid read from, a tag at different times and at different locations.
[0096]Wireiess communication is most often used to transfer data between a tag and a rAtftr '~. ,.~}. ...~mm~..~i J i ~ .~.~:;... = ~, -.w ., ....;' ... ' _-.'_ . . .., a,ion is C!ra"
o p~ ri g AC r,r =-,=.,....trl~p radio frequen~, ny',..,;ivc 1 r..,~ructu!o,~ r== ,,~-~._ = . . !' wav~,, ; . . ,... r.= ~, .~ . , =_ , õ ,, ,a ;.~, ..~~õ~ ,= = __ _ .. =
and .!~ .. !a'~ f. ' tags anc: ,~ i.7nnoWn to use either with an RFID tag to read data from, and write data to, the tag; closed loop, open ioop;

stripline, dipole and/or other antennas may be used. Further, RFID tags may be passive, that is, without an Independent power supply, or active, that is, with a power Page 22 supply such as a battery. In applications described herein, the choice of a particular f=
antenna configuration and whether to use an active or passive RFID tag may or may not be appiication dependent.
i'OO97tlan a sUnnlior faci!;*~. 2~

~~7.'?''.r ,.} a ~~~ ::.. '' 1,. Y a:.Gr. _..,. .I ~a: i, v4 , u . u ~ tli ~
i~= ;iii ,lci l iif il', human rea dG'tb1e-, c~" ul~ ~Chir4~ rBuJ'ct!11E? iiiUici:] is 'aap;)!ik: tC7 !he syringe 20 at rilr labeling station 32. As ;)ari of the labeling process, an :-ag 60 is applied to tyu $vrInCJP n. The ni~Irti t i,r.I" l l:, )r}-'Jrat'3 ::~ 1riD l=ii.i c i.'~= i1 .vU G kll:ii it ii u !
known manner, fUr example, as shown in Fig. 5H by the RF1D chip 212 and antenna 210; and the RFID tag 60 may be a part of or separate from the label 30. As shown in Figs. 2A-2D, the RFfU tag can be applied at any suitable location on the syringa:' 20.
For example, as shown in i=ig. 2A, the RFID tag 60 can b; applied to a rear surface : 5 of a syrii-ige fiar,ge 5u; i~iiu as shown in r;g. 2L~, tiio 1-ir,i/ :ug 60 cail be applied to un outer cylindrical siarfar.o 57 of t?e syrir(1n. In ~.:! ra. ;"nL' , tt "n } sh mni i if-, ' =.'.'r, prior to the syringe 20 beir,g loaded into a power head of an injector, the RFID tag 00 ~=
can be peeled off of the syringe 20 and applied to the injector. Upon removing the syringe 20 from the injector power head, the RFID tag may be reapplied to the syringe 20. In a stili further embodiment shown in Fig. 2D, the RFID tag 60 can be applied to a rear surface 58 of a plunger 59. The plunger 59 may have a core 61 covered by a molded material=63, and an RFID tag can be applied to or integrated into the plunger i=
structure at various locations 65a, 65b, 65c, etc. As shown in Fig. 2D, an RFID tag maybe applied as shown at 60' on the discharge extension (e.g,, nozzle) extending from t~=-~. distal enei r'r ;hn '"y."1 nge 20, 3r a;. si7G'vVii at ~. ,.= ,i-71D ia, ~j. i:ar1 i.)c: ci(Jfliif=9l1 to a front wall (e.g., tapering front wall) of the syringe 20.
[0098]Within the supplier facility 24 of Fig. jA, a reacll~ ri, ;~IW") device 62 is ~=
connected to a labeling computer 64 and, at 506 (Fig, 6), is operative to write data in the RFID tag 60 relating to contrast media or other pharmaceutical and its associated ~=I
r?rnfilled svrinoq cIr r ~~ n,,t~

Q~ (), incil.?d'eS, t7t.lt is n(,t +imirr,l; rry =t ~ f~l~~r?G~ r"".
4. ~
~ A unique cortainer identification number.
- A security code that limits access to the RFID tag to those R/W devices that are able to provide the security code.
- A volume of the pharmaceutical filled in the contair.er.

[.

- A total available volume and/or physical dimensions of the available volume in the container.
. i.
- An identity, or type, of the pharmaceutiCai ir: the rl~:)n:3iner.

.._ ,1, ;,1 ., " :=y'.7.-;;~'nt'".w:::! ~~I =~
.. . ,, .. ...~..

- An ider-tity of a#acrory, production line, fiii:nq s:ation machine, and/or batch number associa}ud with the ccntainer.

'i118 Cvtltctil l~~ ,; ~I~cu.
- An expiration time and/or date and/or a shelf life of the pharmaceutical.
f.I
- NDt; codes.
- One or more vendor specific inventory ccdes, for example, an SKU code, - An identity ot the country in which tiZe vVas filled.
- A;l ','uc;l'.il~=' oi ilie container and/or cont a;n~:~: pui.icaging, Prod~::'; ; r4::,cticns and/or coupons a<<dror iritemei iinics of rhe supplier.
- Recommended software updates for power injectors in which the container is intended for use.
10100]Thereafter, at 508, the syringe 20 is loaded into a shipping carton 34;
and, at 510, the cartons 34 are stocked as Inventory in a si-iipping/receiving department 38.
Based on orders received, as indicated at 512, the cartons 24 may be further combined or palletized into a case or batch 67 for shipment to a customer; and a label 66 can be optionally applied to an indivfdual shipping carton 34 or a unified case or batch 67 of cartons. The label 66 can include human readable, machine-readable ind;cia u:l ~,F;iJ tag. aucl-i indicia vr i-si-i,-, iay uata n-iay iriciude but is riut limited to an identification of the supplier and the product, the product expiration date and lhe packaging, -: he packaging code idantiiius rhether the package is aoi~l~;L;
syringe, a carton of syringes or a case of syringes. fn preparing one or a batch of cartons 34 for shipment, an R/W device 68 connected to a shipping computer 70 ma;

='.1 ... ...... : i~~v+ .{ ~u{t.vI:Iti dGia~ ~ Vli .2 liL Jl 1 be UJ seil' ~ ".. ;+ , c..l'y ~n ,-+FzEn +~:.~ + . _ . :. = ...7-':= , tF .,;= =., - :. - =..,. = - . _.-. =-.
IitGy~u v,rt::.! .l/
read data from, and write data to, RFtD tags associated with the labels 66.
Thus, the shipping computer 70 is able to identify parameters, for example, type of syringe, type of contrast media, contrast media concentration, etc., and confirm that those parameters meet the specifications of a particular order. Thus, the R/W device 68 can 4_.i '/!' be used to write into either the RFID tags 60 on the syringes 20, andlor the RFID caps on labels 66, data including, but not limited to, the following: - An identity of the customer.

.=~n3 f , } .,.~ u~._ ,..

- Custor:i7-. -.,tic ..oftware update:, ;c: owned by the customer.

101011Th~
, '1. :i''. i:~.:~f.~...:+,... ...:;.. :.~~ iLC.i:i4'.:,.~ -Jr iu receiving department 44 of an imaging facility suci: as t'r-re hospital 42.
An example ai a syringe stocking and preparation process is illustrated in Fig. 7. Upon receiving the cartons 34, a R/UV rjnVi~,~ 7?_ connected to a sh';:Ni comphter 7~'T reads, -..
602, the syringe R''ir' 'ngs 60 and/or ti}t4 JnIpri; tags 66. As Fig, 3A, :ha -hipi , ; J; r.: eiving cornput,:r 1' T;~~, r.: :;~ ,~c: lata in tiri inventory 1-7 database 76. The 'õhippingtraceiving computer 7 r i3 Cci +i i8cied via a conlmlJnicatiorIS
link, for example, an Ethernet LAN, etc., to a hospital administration computer 78 and other computers; and one or more versions of the inventory database 76 can be maintained in any of those computers. Thus, the receiving computer 76, or another ~
computer, is able to confirm that the delivered syrinye-c conform to hospital purhaso 20 orders and, if applicable, automatically authorize payment of invoices therefor.
Further, via the shipping/receiving computer 74, the syringe RFID tags 60 within the cartons 34 can, at 604, be updated with other data including, but not limited to:
- A time and date that the container was received.
- A
25 - Doctor related information.
- Patient rc'.at,:7~c' -.Mormation.
- An identity ot a stock room or other storage area.
- An identity of a particular preparation room and/or imaging suite in which the pharmaCer_~'ic~l s t~' ~ csc~!.
, .-.C= . ' ..... ,.., Yy . ' _; 1. ' . - .....

[0102]Thereafter, at 606, cartons are delivered to a room 46. As seen in Figs.
3A and 1A, within the room 46, a RIW device 77 connected tc a computer 79 can be used to read the syringe RFID tags 60 and update a database within the computer 79.
Further, or alternatively, as shown in Fig. 3A, the computer 79, via the communications link 80, can be used to update the inventory database 76 within administration computer 78, thereby confirming delivery of the syringes tc th:c -oo-7r 40 from the shipping/receiving area 44.

i,1: , r, . . . _ '.' .. . , . . . , :~~ _..,, , . . , .
r7 .~. ~r . . . . . ~~-, i ,..i. . ' . . . = -... ~ .... 'I f... .. . ~ , vdireiess connectio,,.
10104]Subsequertiy, instructions are provided tc a shipping cartoõ 34 Lii;:
, vJll '. +. :.. ii ~JJiii 4.j. i TifG i,i/I. .,+yalv+ i:r 1.{J'E:V lJ lLk+4 ".c> 11( iU ;-ej.., at 606, 2nc; iind the cartons 34 containing tiie desired syringes. Further, ieaorng the RFID tags permits an identification of the oldest inventory. (Since contrast media has a she!t rs,- to Th-?rRrft!~-!, id.;,tifieci shiP,Ii:1;
room 48.
[0105] In th2 NreNrzraõon room 48, tha syringcs 20 are i=emoved from a cartor, ,34 ariu placed in the warmer 36 to bring the contrast media up to about body temperature. As shown in Figs. IA, 3A and 4, an R/W device 81 is connected to a warmer control having a user interface 86. The warmer control 82 is electrically connected to an imaging informa;ion system 87 that, in turn, is connected to the communications iir1~
80, and hence, to the other computers in the hospital 42. Upon placing a syringe in the warmer 36, the R/W device 81 reads, at 610, a respective RF'ID tag 60 and transmits data with respect to the syringe 20 to a work-in-process database 84 in the imaging information system 87 as illustrated in Fig. 3A. Further, or alternatively, the i(ilcaging (]1, vid lhe l,lilõi i,4Jlu,~ i,ll~ OCJ, call be used V

the inventory database 76, thereby allowing othcr c.,r-i~puters to track information written to and reac' 'rom the syringe RFID i+; ,; ,- %,varrner 36.
rv'W Jevice may also write to each RFID tag 60 the time and date each respective syringe 20 is placed in the warmer 36. Further, upon a technologist requesting, via the user interface 86, a particuiar contrast media, the v~ar, :;:;ntrol 82 can, via tha user ~C intArface FI c i~lu8 thc vrc'..; i ri .;.I
such as the syringe that has been in the warmer for the longest period of time. (Not only does contrast media have a limited shelf life, but the time spent in the warmer ;C
should also be limited. Thus, inventory in the warmer 36 may also be handled on a first-in/first-out basis.) Upon removing a syringe 20 from the warmer, at 612, the R/W

device 81 writes the removal time and date to a respective RFID tag 60 and reads data identifying the syringe being removEd. Ths worrc-in-process database 84 and other databases are appropriately updated; andl the warmer control 82 via the user interface 86 confirms to the technoiogist that ihe e,orrect i ias been removed.

~. ~-...v/,1i:....iiii~~ i iy, , .,y vri, . 4~. ~. , . . ..~. ,. -.. .~..a, ..
.-.-.c.., __J........ ..ivi~ , - . . . . t .

_.. ,.,.. . ,., ....i. ,._. .'. . ... .._. .. . ...=. .,= .,... , .
.. ... _ ...,., ..,. v . ,. ... . ,. .,, . , . .. ... .
mounts or faceplates 88a, 88b that are attachable on t, ~,;:ve! ~r ,~ c: 90 of a powered fluid injector 50 ir a;cni3wn manner. ;~,r: 4xeri-Epl3 y ir; ..' õ' =, s":,wn and uescri:;ad "_, =~ -. . .. ~ = . . = _ . ~ -. : r-, ,;.,= r : . - .. t'. , . , . . . . . .
_ . .
l,I..?. L GLtI%E ~L l1~~lil+Si.ll.,i. E i=wv. 14/Jl7'P,VL1~7, LE i~. G.4..
~:~y '~1 . ,.v ; IJ I:=t-.tC~y fi 1V(Ji ~,~, 41u1~~ r by reference. Although the powerhead 90 discussed herein is a dual head injector, embodiments of the present invention explicitly contemplata single head injectors a3 H
entirety of which is her4by incorporated by reference. 7L'01 07]ln '15 user-fi{fed syringe having a volul77e of about 20v :ril i3 niounzab}e in a pressure jac;:ct 250 of faceplate 88a. Further, a pre-filled syringe having a volume in excess of about 90 ml or more may also be mountable in faceplate 88b. The injector powerhead includes hand-operated knobs 92a and 92b that are operative via an injector control circuit to eontrol motors within respective plunger drive5 Oo ;, 95b. T he plunger drivcs 95a, 95b are operable to move plungers within the respective syringes 20a, 20b in a known manner. Exemplary operations of a powerhead 90 and injector control 93 are shown and described in U.S. Patent Application No. 101964,002, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Additional exemplary operations are C18JcriheCi If 1 U,<>, lUS. J,~OC.,V I Z, 5,68 i,G? ., ... 1.1 r.: J, 1/ l}i, f i E, i t ty C i !;
4v. J'ch are hara'.?y 93 is e{ectricc"111y cClii;to the hospital Irl;'oiiila:iGEi %v via the communications Iink U0, and/or may be otherErvise a~ectriuaify connected to the imaging information system 87 by a communications link that uses a technology such as those noied atuG,; %,vltil i'eference io th@ COr llllu~ii~a~~ ~"o itE~n uv.

r r,. ,,. . . . . :,.
'JJ rL'1 7 08] ! /J i 1a., 2 ] ...v... Ir...... =.__.. ._ M = /...a..,. i~:, C. }.,..i,~'~
screen, for displaying current status and operating parameters of the injector 50.
Powerhead 90 is often mounted to a wheeied stand 100, which permits easy positioning of the powerhead 90 in the vicinity of the examination subject 52.
The injector 50 also has a remotely located console 96 with remote user interface 97, for ~!I

~. ~ .

example, a touch screen, a power supply 98 and other switches and components (not shown). Ti 8 console 96 may be used bj carl OpC:rutOi to the operatibi; of the injector 50 from a Per~,;'~ :ccation in akr,c:vrn ;i vvii. be apnraCiatgd Yhat elements of the inj?.r-+r~r ~,)nrrr~j 93 ,'tl'ly ~'a ir COr!~nrvt.or' i-41 '!-t0 . , .. .

J ~n.v-.1!~c;ut. JV UI IIICt~/ U~-' Ir-IZ,UI~Uici:_-., .:'. ?;!.+.:I
v+t;llikat:,> Ui UIC ul~c..,.= ..-.., a;t i+7't:
~r pavy~: s~,,~~+y 98 or console 96, or rr lu;~ tii:~rributed among }hese n ~-iem.,~ts.
[v i6:; i rle racepiate 88b has an Outwwo exLet ruing cradle ;i9 tnai sur,~v:, ~s a i iGater ~ ,~.
on a printed circui: ( r~, ~ 102. Ti;o heu."~. ;C7 connected to the injector control via a cable or connector and is operable by the injector control 93 to heat the syringe 20b in a known manner. The PC board fi~F; t;r :-,, ipports a R/W device 104b ,.-i .,.: sociated ant-- nna system The ciiSO elQC ;.?fly iG tiie i:jE CtU; G ii;{{J: iu iJiiS:};( . . , tI
9E3. '-~.'ri~ i r, the RlWCieti'iCe 104b I"t} . j - ;'lcli~C~ by D, rec!,C.?
da"M ;rofn an RFiD tag 60b on a respective syringe 20b. Data rnay b: vvl; i~n ta, and/cr rear' from, the RFID tag (30i)at ?.ny spscified time when a syringe 20h is in proximity of a respective faceplate 88. Thus, the system has the ability to determine when syringes 20a, 20b are mounted in the respective faceplates 88a, 88b. The data may be encrypted, and the data and data transfer may comply with 21 CFR 11, JCAHO, and HIPAA requirements.
[0110]One example of a process for utilizing the syringe 20b within the imaging suite 26a is shown in Fig. 8. This example is described principally with respect to the syringe 20b loaded in faceplate 88b; however the description is equally applicable to the syringe 20a loaded in faceplate 88a. The description is further applicahle to an injr~ctian process in which media is dispensed frorn both syringes 20a, 2ub, ei'thei s-r,-quentiaily or sfiiluttaneously. Sirrlr.ritanecus di,"',N(~llsii+g irom bjt~l Syr in~= may 6orn;: :~t controlled and selected fiov" ra:; s io acirieve. ar-iy ciesir'ed cvn~;~:~lu~iior7 of the resuiurg rnixture of media andror rtieu'ia dr,d saline in the two syringes.

I'0111 ] Referring to the process of Fig. 8, first, at 702, the WVII device 104b is activated ~,aca daia sro;ed in the RFIC) i~;U ;~ laidiirlg iu contrust . . , . , . _ . .+ i. !
at 704, that information includes, but Is not limited to:
- A container identification and/or serial number that is checked against a database of previously used containers to block, if appropriate, a potential reuse of the container.

-- A container security code, which may be matched with the security code of the injector being used.
!r,farm,aticr; ,clating to contuiner volun,:'> ais' volumc delivery technologist setting up the injector.

~i: t=J f.~./i:=~i~n .. V I=
precise reai t;ine dispensing control of volume.
,. .
icG: typa Gnd conccl ti1~, ....N;a to r;onfirfrn it is cor'i ;,:4t .olect,7d.
ID, batch and lot numbers that oan be used io test the container andlor pharmaceutical against recall data. {
-- Shelf life data and fill date, whicr is corrlpared to a current date to deterrnine ~
, =.
nE et3~<r- _ _. _ .: :er4ed st~:~lf life ;<a:~ ~Ler, .,,:ocs 'cu. !
i~ ~ 1 %! u r;?~/iCu1 104b alSf': '"rrrtFc. c'lild dc"~.+=~ iw zr'.
_ . ' ,= Li syringe 200, O~b to peri+. of open-to-atn:osp ~.
limited. During the contrast media injection process, the displacement of the syringe plunger is precisely controlled in accordance with data read from the RFID tag 60b relating to avaiiable syringe volume and/or dimensions thereof. Further, plunger feed is tracked, so that the contrast media remaining in the syringe can be continuously determined.
[4i 13]The faceplates 88a, 8$b have a bidirectional communications link with the injector control 93, which may be used to transfer any of the above information between the syringes 20a, 20b and the injector control 93. Thus, the injector control 93 may have syringe and drug information that may facilitate a procedure setup and rE. sult iil 'raiid f:rror. il'1 cxU~t~iUii ~iiti ++iy;r( l~Jr cL7l'ltfll 93 rnGly ICG1~, vi +;it.
i.~
other information to and f{om the facerlates 98?, 88b, wtt9ch is not directly pertin~w+ ~
syringe )r,farrk-iU4ion. Examples of this ;f7a; but are not Iirriited to:
cr disabfng of the facepl ;v - Heating of the faceplate for contrast media warming.
- ,.
.~
p(~vcC i il 14j tu , tl t, .J of Fig. ' ~r the mcu+a i~ i , a (tn . . . . _ . ._ .r_ti s . , . .
,. .... . . -.. , .,. . J ~ .-.. õ ... .. . , . . .. ._...~i ,i+... , .
.,...,. "
operates a CT scanner control 101 that is effective to cause a CT scanner 103 to scan a patient 105 shown in phantom. The injector control 93 may have one or more interfaces to a CAN communications bus 111, which is a known interface for the CT
scanner control 101. The protocol is defined by the scanner manufacturers.
Data and ~ = ~ t data transfer between the injector and scanner comply with 21 CFR 11, JCAHO, and HIPAA requirements, [0-' 5]Retur~ing to Fig. 8, as shoti~. beiNea;;
93 and CT scanner control 101 may be bi-directional and may relate to the contrast media or other pharmaceutical and its as~~cihted p ~~ refillec+ sl~~~~~ .~r ~'."r r con',ai:,or _ ,.
20b. 5uch data includes, but is not limited to, the following:

~' i. iC 1..14itid1 f}r~1ClCU .ct . l' i i, iCC nUC11iJ:ii .
Pha.rmaceutioal expiration date:
'.n;ecteci volume, flow rate (~xchiev<~.~, :ar;;,).
- injection time.
- Patient name, weight, age, ID number, for example, SS no., hospital ID, atc.

- Iriiect(?r c!3riaI number. 4ir.~=',.N?.rf? Vt?T~inn_.
Prnc?dure number ar!ci/or namP.

~..,,.o. -, r,r.~ 11 .tc~.. i.=~ ,,.~~_~,_',~ .:~,C~L.~ iic'lii..; i.,ilG1C'ii i'~F:;l,~au.....i .~.:.L~.
Hospitai name and/or identification number.
- Used or unused status of container.
- CT scanner setup and procedure information.
- CT scanner ID and/or serial no.
- CT images.
- Hospital information system data, - Injector functional control.
- CT scanner functional control.
[0116] Upon the injector control 93 determining that the desired volume of contrast ~
~.., hL ri: i.u >~ ia iui:Ncau. ri l the 2iiu , Ui~ Li + ~j i;t:Ei C
t)I I
process, as shown in Fig. 8 at 708, the injevtc;r cnr.trol 93 i~- operative to detc'm!,7c an, exact vol:.ms;:; contrast media in)ectcd; control writes lo tili: i .r iLi tag 60h anrl/~=,r r~ri~tn~- fl?o imaging ir1{c,'rr~~F r"vitii da:a uiid 6 includes, but is not limited to the following:

-rr'I (f7fr'~ ,a t'ln ',~O ,.... --....1 ~imn fkn,n, roV~y (7r=h.... = .
. . ,. , Volume of pharmaceutical remaining in the container.
- Injection time, - Patient name, weight, age, ID number, for example, SS no,, hospital ID, etc.
i - Injector serial number, firmware version.

Page 30 ~:-~.~

I[i Procedure number and/or name.
- Technologist name and/or identification number.
1 r ?enl ynt'}'~ .ry .., ,,.,i:ef~ xq "- i~.. .I 'illr _ II,F~'Ji .,.wl...= I.1VQ~IV~~1=r .h/V~. .
- Used or unused status oi syringe.
F - CT Scanirer I+fnrr~~f?nr ~
[0117]As Illustrated in Fig. 4, the injector control 93 has an interface providing a 1;1'1ur11VCi1itJf'6 iffik :!J1 ,:i i:~1, ~:rfr:rF'r :' la may be, but is not limited to, a th.rrnui, in,k-jet, or lasar ba:.aU prif -.14,,r 109 rrJay b~) us,L~d to . 1., tc;b~ylo~ ~Ji j VcirlOl! r~ G~ ri[tJl:. :,~-~ t, ni(i~.'d times q, print pages andJGi $ and Sj~':;vpOn t r~
requests of a user, the CT scanner control. 101, the hospital inforfnation system 78, or r the injector control 93. The labels may be made part of patient records, requisition sheets, or other forms. Data output and data transfer rrfay comply with 21 CFR
11, JCAHO, and HIPAA requirements.
,. i.. ~
Lu W j -y ~,t 1UiF11[li a,~ t i 1. v, u~ St1U''vVl i'~.t 7 i o, a +a~Ut 1 Ji.
iUay Uc p(If1te Cl ,. -o fJi'aVfG2 information relating to the contrast media or other pharmaceutical, its associated prefilled syringe or other container 20b, and the use thereof. Such information includes, but is not limited to, the following: ~.
- Pharmaceutical brand name, concentration, lot number.
- Pharmaceutical expiration date, volume.
- Injected volume, pressure, flow rate (achieved, target).
- Injection time.
- Patient name, weight, ago, ID number, for example, SS no., hosNiiai iv, eic;.
- Injector serial number, firmware version.

f'='i.~Cei~liic iiuiii:~ i uil~tlijr IldiiiG.
-- Technologist name and/or identification nt:mh~r.
- t'iOS~It l nc:il;U i:i.i, ~Icr identification nlSEllbE:r.
IJ: ed o; u:~ ... . .. .. s of ::yri~,~,e.
- Graphs or charts, for example, pressure, f!ovl r~t~, etc. --~T:'.., =~ . .
,.,:;r~.

- Open (white) space or blanks for tech initials, drawings, etc.
s=
[0119]Thus, any of the above information can be exchanged between the injector control 93 and hospital information system 78. Potential uses for this capability include but are not limited to:

iI
- Electronlc inclusion of volume of contrast media injected and other procedure information in patient record.
El~intronlc re-ord~rino of rlutomated billing. 5 - Automated Schedulinn.

(u i ijAfter the injection process, tr+e injector control 93 can write to the RFID tag 60b -n ~n; a cvr ngt?-L'sed'f!aq th?,}'4 _ 'Gv -.' ,, rF;i.;Sp- Cf ~ rir ~A 90b is then removoC 30.b; and f ;hr ar,d :hc syringe was not used, i' c,,; n.. back into ti7e .:E.. n tfl;a:
iO pruQess, irirormation is read rrorn, anc tiiritten to, the Rt=1D tag 60ia as previously described, 1='urther, the image informatior, system 87 is also a;..e to :raci<
the oper:-ic-atmosphere time of the syringe and warn the technologists when an open-to-atmosphere time is exceeded.

1;,aLe iute IJUI.- i:J '.r'..:t. "..., r . t" .
~ T.IL f, .. f. 7 15 typically transported to a disposal area 112 (Figs. 1 A, 3A and 4); and prior to disposal, another R/W device 114 connected io one of the other computers 75 reads the RFID
tag 60b. The inventory database 76 can thus track the identity of the syringe 20 being destroyed. Further, the syringe disposal information can be communicated to a supplier computer 116 via a communications link 118 as seen in Fig. 3A, for example, 20 via the Internet 83, a telephonic connection, or other comparable wired or wireless connection.
[0122]fn an alternative embodiment, empty syringes, instead of being destroyed, are returned to the supplier 24 for further processing, for example, disposal or refilling. In tt}c !a't2r example, the syrir,ges 20 Ni.ss ii "rough. 'tile hospitu siiiNp elY-u'C2~civing a; 2a 25 44 and the RFfD tags are again read to idpnti~~'i~e syringes leaving t.h::
hospital; and -.'ontory datahase 76 is updl: :: 'iG~r ,' ". "' == ~,., cMi, r7jl~r?11'eCe1V1(1g Crp"~' 3,9fihn inventory database 120 tracking syringes within the supplier's facili,ies.
The.RFId nnt- Or tf?6 sVr1n(7es 20 ?. a r lõ C~ . ~' .. t . .
..~ (',{!...w ye1t.lr, . JUrJ:' 3 L Jv, t~;e~~ dQ3Iroyed or recor:_ ... .. i..
[0123] In the system shown and described herein, the injector control 93 facilitates information collection and transfer throughout a CT procedure. The RFID-enabled syringes provide quicker and more accurate data recording, as well as an automated transfer of drug information. The printer allows for a hard copy of selected information ~:.

to be Incorporated into the patient or hospital record. The CT interface via CAN, facilitates information flow and collection at a sir,gie point, either the CT
sca;,;,~
system U,= tie injector. The hospital informatior ,yst-,-~rr, inierface improves t;,,is information flow a step further, potentially creatiriy arl a!i-eiectronic system with 5 minimai user in, this provides the o,.;r... .:, ;r ; aducac!
errc: a;.,::

efficiency in the CT scanning suite.
'-:nOth r X ''ry, 7 r. 4- . '!! o' . , . . ... . ~cuS~on, fielt; ' ti . ] . C c pmpJ~, ~ ;,,'~i, tU
failed orJCrai4i:. such service cai1S, thf; ilci, "t::t-.,r is ab:Er to opvl"
injector in a'service" mode without having to install electrical jumpers in the injector control, instead, r eferring to Fig. 513, the service rYioda function is initiated by a iiGld engineer using ar; intelligent identification ("ID") card 122. Such an ID card 122 has an RFID tag 124 thai, incorporates an RFID chip and associated antenna in a known manner.
[0125]An exempfary process for using the ID card 122 for injector maintenance is shown in Fig. 9. As indicated at 802, the RFID tag 124 is loaded at the supplier facility 24 with data including, but not limited to, the following:
- An identification of the tield engineer.
- Latest updates and software information.
- Specific software revisions.
[0126]To initiate service of a power injector, the field engineer places the ID card 122 on an empty faceplate 88b, thereby altowing the R/W device 10db to read and write to the RFID tag 124. As indicated at 804 of Fig. 9, upon reading an appropriate identificatian and security code Trom the RFIV tag 124, a neld engineer identification and service time and date are s.ored in the injector control 93. Thereafter, the ir,jector uscr a~o ~", ,:,a~; rlg. 5A) ui 6 irijel:ti)r UV u iP
, i, _ , =
sei r/ice ,mii:dE.', .. .:_. ~:t:,izb:l~y :,t;VEi~il u~vii =I=1-~;;,i 1G,iW
Gid fGUiurcS
in a normal injection cycle but which inhibit oper,aiir , the injector 50 for service purpose .n 104 =t-tn'~ ~n r ~! Lh~ :..'~enti, t'~~ua.;.,_.
s. Th,. ~ ~~ ~ ._. =,' k secUri,y co<-~w . .= . .,., , ~~._, i~~ I ~ ~~. ~jwur~ , ..~ . u, fuiiy 124, for example, because the ID card 122 has been renioved from the faceplate 880, the injector control 93 automaticaliy switches the Injector 50 out of the service mode, Thus, the previously disabled operational checks and features are re-enabled, and the injector is ready to operate in a normal injection cycle. Further, at 804, the injector control 93 is operative to read from the RFID tag 124 information and data relating to fac",o ,, :.,pdatos to the in;ector com,~crf: ;.a~ a; iu Jf~~rare.

.d L ~ g lah. = t.~l,.li J r J , s l~ndi' i-+. v..,v~.~ at Z;4'~ a n(~~+V, ty.
l i [01, ri.i~,. i.rl 1VI.C~.Jt-n Vf?.r ~.9 q kf 1.. i ti1~ 1S. ~f'4.~n G = 1 J, ::*..] ',;- .=w.fU
engineer iriitiates uploads of soitwa.re upgraues ;,orn }tte ;ac; i L4 tc i'ie fi ccntroi 93. in =+(idlfion, rnechan?ca! (:('r'tr'nnqnf5 ?ro sanrj{~?ri rriorh:-sni<-=~i õnnrrt,#c.
-.
are installed and their operation is verified. As a final step of the service operation as indicated at ?08, '1e injector control 93 ~v',e-j tc% ."r) i?FII) tag 124 on the iD r:ptrd ''?
.~ r ; i,,- ;.../si ~ciiware rcvis{ur - A confirmation that mechanical and softvvare upgrades have been installed.
- The date of service ancl serial number of tiia injector.
Protocol, statistics or details relating to the injector operation since the last service.

[0128]Upon the field engineer returning to the supplier facility 24, the RFID
tag 124 is 15 read; and the service information is stored in a history file associated with the particular injector that was serviced.
[0129]The use of an RF communications system between an RFID tag 60 on a container 20 and a power injector control 93 provides for further exemplary embodiments of the RF communications systarn. Kaovvri FRFID systems use electromagnetic (EM) fields to communicate between an R/W device that includes a tuned antenna and one or more RFID tags or transponders. In one exemplary embodiment, the R/W device sends out data using EM fields at a specific frequency; and with passivP RFID tags, this EM energy pov,,ers the tag, which in turn enablc~:

processing ni tnis received data. Following receipt of rhe data, ttie RFID tag rreay 2:; transmit data that is received and processed by the RNV devic~:.

-e .'1 ~y . . ,..r= . . , _ luf:ivyilli ..r ..= ... alfiil,iJll lU
i1~~~hcaliUili u.õ,=f.,.,.,u.. vf C.i~:311.i~~ic.~...f~..ai:f.... ,=_.

nx4=i;aIC:, .-.,.., V or a rrlcdivc:i il.w...i ii i~. ....I ....... i..f iwi.l l f~..
syringe. Thesn materials absorb and/or refl~.r-' vrer;y, making successfr.l '~rl ri.Y-,C~= . -.._.. }~
r+:-= L. lA 1I t V .~ .. r1 L'...11~ :.. .. .. - .,... (nf;.y t r.r i._~IIJI.fIIII, ~ J ~..=\i~. ........ ... ~::r.~l IG (~ +g UIGIi;r ../1.-. ~}
/I =..
{ , ~{~ lic.'i.. yJeai:,l,~.. ... _.unlU(1, tlfC i~Ii~1L ...i.l".'t,c. ....., .~.
... ("it..ll/ d'y.,.tiit.'i.~:u ...,.._ ._ .
plane of the MV device antenna is critical. i of opWEnurn performance, the plane of the RFID tag antenna should be substantially parallel to the plane of the R/1N
device antenna. As shown in Fig. 10, for single plane antennas, as an acute angle 200 between an RFID tag antenna plane 202 and an R/W device antenna plane 204 ;.~
increases, a signal strength coupling the antennas in the two planes 200, 204 decr8~ses. In other words, as the a.,y!C 2_0 i Cr$a~G's, '.hn ~F !~',gr1a1 strength 1r e,f Sr ! : , ,,. r- A }õ
,an.,lerable ~~om the ! P-'tJ1h '~?~;c antenna ~ a~ , s'~, i?:-!D decreases, Sirniiariy, the sig;iaf strcnrth traissferable iro;rr the ,~=;; t:ag ~.a vu;.r to t~7v grlr'~
device antenna a!so diminishr;s. s=-ur*her: :hat si0na! ;ationr-~ ;s substantia!ly equal the output signal strength of the RM! device antenna minus any attenuation from mpta!!ic and diamagnetic rnaterials r#h.tir;od by th 'th- %ngiF 200.
(0131 JReferring back (o r=ig. 5A, orier7tation of the syringe 20b places the RFiD tag ana r a:,'. _. ~.=..,..!.~J-'1 .,~. õ ~- ~
:enr,a 210 a:!-ie PN1,F
sigr3ais therebetween to iacilitate reading data from, andlor writing clata .o, tho RF,C
tag 60b. However, with the syringe 20b oricnted as s'1rt~.r. in Fig. 11, contrast rnedia in the syringe 20b is between the RFID tag antenna 210 and the R/W device 104b.
The contrast media attenuates the RF field strength from the antenna of the R/W
device 104b and interferes with its RF coupling with the RFID tag antenna 210.
[0132]in one exemplary embodiment of the invention, referring to Fig. 12, a syringe 20b having a label 30b with an antenna 210 and RF driver 212 is positioned above faceplate 88b, ready to be loaded therein. A first PC board 102 and a second PC
board 103 are mounted in faceplate 88b, so as to be nonparallel. The PC boards 102, 103 form sides of aV-shap2 and thus, form ar, Ii.cs iha.": i 0 d~gree.fi.
therebetween. PC board 102 supports a first antenna loop 220 and its associated tuning circuit 226, and PC board 103 supports a second antenna loop 222 and its associated tuning circuit 228. The first and second antenna loops 220, 222 and respective tuning circuits 226, 228 are connected to r~Z qIIN RF driver circuit 224b i}lrough a swltc(ilrlg <;Irc:ui'[ 241 o tc:) CoiieCtiveiy iur~n lllc c::;rcliila~ l iiC RV-1 dE'iit:,ID
-104b. in an alternative embodimetit, the R/W RF driver circuit 224b and switching v-t ori a JEii ,::i.i rõi ~
und CletitrlCal!y on;. ~'.= ''~, "' ?~r h~nr!~ 1 n2. !n r'hnt embodiments, the RM/ RF driver cirCuit 224h ardf--'h~ switr,hPng circt.rlt 241b ma!f ke n,.,., n-z . . J . . : . . . . . . . . . . .. . .

antenna loops 220, 222, respective tuning circuits 226, 228 and switching circuit 241b is connectable in different electrical configurations to achieve an optimum RF
coupling between the R/W device 104b and the RFID rag 60b.

[0134]Referring to Fig. 13A, power from the R/W RF driver circuit 224b is applied to the input 230 of a tunin0 c;~uit 226 ,hc:t is yonnect~14 '~ !ead 231 of the , g f Y ~,,_cN a ~ ~~:~a~,f antenrla circui'.
' 1 i a L~. Furt;i ;ullin 228, which is connected tc: 6 signai iead 235 of the secondary antenna loop 222 on PC l~oard 103, is left A prirriary an+!enrin ~ ni~ ?cf lead 232 is connected to ground wit }hr secondary antenna loop ground lead 236. In this ~.' con;iguration, the por~~e ury antenna loop 220 on, u? :s tuned t: a .. ~ = frequency indicated by a protocoi of the RFID tag 60b, for ex,~rr~u~e, about 13.5$
.
ul'v:z.
RF signal from the primary antenna loop 220 is coupled ,5ri,; ;.; ,; secondary antenna loop 222 on PC board 103, because the secondary antenna loop 222 is also tuned to resonate at about 13.56 Megahertz, [0135]The angled, V-shape orientation of the PC boards 102, 103 and respective areas of antenna loops 220, 222 provide an expanded or increased total antenna area for the R/W device 104b. Thus, with the antenna configuration of Fig. 13A, as shown in Fig. 12, an effective antenna area extends circumferentially around a substantially greater area of a syringe 20b than is possible with the single PC board 102 shown in Fig. 5A. Further, the antenna power provided by the RF driver circuit 224b is also CpreaG { over a ]~, I3rgy r c'lrv ~~ ~n Nn..~ n~- o ntcd by " t1r~ . ~'.~ .7 =cru' .~. . 4 c,,+~to (ir.~.'~. r'.
spread ~ :, ., n, r ~iJir, ...," , {-.r.~ 4._ ri" ~~tJ, 222. Upon the syringe 20b being loaded onto the faceplate 88b, with some orientations of the syringe 20b, the larger antenna area shown in Fig. 13A
improves the RF coupling with the antenna 210 of the RF1D tag 60b.
[0136)As shown in Fig. 1.'173, antenna loop 222 on PC can be mado thv primary loop by disconnecting or opening an input 230 of the tuning circuit 226 and 26 connecting the tuning circuit input 234 of the antenna loop 222 to the power output of {_. Fi sl r nJ + ~ ,, = n~ ~ ~3 loop . IJ
r ~: U ,Ic r ~.llii, ~l ~ r ~... = r.a. 1r Ir.,~t r~ritC:lll lc.~ Ivop /~n}vr+If{..l i~/~,iovp ryrV~.I . ~IrlA I +.~' N4 1 bV (~~ y~
i.1 U e~eCwln ~.4V v4l+lr 4L. l~V 1./ N4111iVVv=.+ =~ Jr '~H++~, l~l antenna ioopsV220; 22? }rjna'_'1 to . oc.~i,l f _"~+e .:a! :~c, iF~.77 syringe 20b and thus, the circumferential location of the RFID tag 60b.
[0137]Another configuration of the antenna loops 220, 222 is shown in Fig. 13C
wherein the tuning circuit input 230 of the first antenna loop 220 is connected to the power output of the R/V1l RF driver circuit 224b; and first antenna loop ground lead ~../ ~..-~
232 is connected to ground. The tuning circuit input 234 and ground lead 236 of antenna loop 222 are connected to c?round, which prevents *,"e se~,o-!d antenna t~oop 22r from resonating at the, r~Flr~ r.nr~ frer,aer:c'rr which, '.n Ef 'Vt'r-l:z. This effectively reduces the area of thc antenna systern 229b to the area of the primary antenna_foop 220, and all of the power from the R/W RF driver circuit 224b is applied across the area of the prirnary antenna loop 220, which Is iuned to resonate at th~~ r;FID tacn frequency, that i~ -,hn,; ~7,5; t~,tegn.hertz. r tn~,r 0 =:~
20c :aeing = fi onto the +faceplate 881,= on the arien! .a; n; ,r d ~, ~ ~, a; ~
ttie R~'1D tag antenna 210, the snnaller antenna area of the circuit ir.
?==ir. 13C may iv fli uwie tite Fft= coupling wirrt tno :?r!'t't;r;na 2W ot the t-if=lF' ,a:-~ ~.:
(013E1l=ieferring to Fig, 13D, alternativeiy to Fig. 13C, thp tunirtg circui;
input 234 of the second antenna loop 222 on PC board 103 is connected to the power output of the :RM! RF driver circuit 224b; and tuning circuit input 230 of the first antenna loop 220 is connected to ground along with antenna loop ground leads 232 and 236.
Thus, the first antenna loop 220 does not resonate at the RFID tag frequency of 13.56 MHz; and only the second antenna loop 222 is tuned to resonate at that frequency. With some orientations of the syringe 20b, this antenna configuration provides the best RF I~
~.
coupling with the antenna 210 of the RFID tag 60b.
[0139]In some applications, a user mav be instructed to load the syringe 20b in the faceplate 88b so that the label 30b is always in the same orientation. Or, in other applications, the RFID tag 60b may be removable from the syringe and mountable. at a fixed location on the injector 50. In those applications, an R1W antenna can be dnsinned and placed in a fixed lacatinn to have optimvm RF couplirri-ri'h an RFID
tag. However, in still further aNplic ,tion;, a use; may havo no where the RFIt<~ tag 60b is located on the syring-~ 20b or how th~ RFID tag 501_: is criented wt;:.il the rwrinde 20b is motJnted on ?(arnr,i, ~. Pf?h. Ih'htpse annllrnti.-,r. t+-M71I7 tug 60t} rnav have anv circumferenti--i lor.3tinn a barrel of tl'1P ",r'- Y"+lh'n eh,r,, fc!GeoIatF' 8$i?. Further, In Sur' it is diff!C!)lt t0 ",?r f1# 1!'ln ?1lte.ntlA COnflCluratit)nf in i' - ~.1 ?r' õ+,;tl nrn~rir#a +hn h a r r. 11 r1r ,,r;++
.
. . ! _.. . .. . . ~.,_.. .. . . . . ,. . . ,., ,., due, in part, to the complex and somewhat unpredictable EM fieldz formed arot.nd materials that reflect and/or absorb such fields. Therefore, in another ~xemplary f embodiment of the invention, all of the antenna configurations ot Figs. 13A-13B may be utilized.
ti r [0140] Referring to Fig. 14, switches 238, 240 on PC board 102 comprise the switching circuit 241b, which is used to selectivety c~enr;cc, respective tuning circuit irlputs 2130, 234 to el':~,~-r a power oulr.!..i .' iL'i;'.iliiai G~:' RAV RF
drivt;r circuit 224b, a ground terminal 244 or an open state represenied by contacts 246.
'1"he E.
ground leads 232, 236 of r?spccfivc ;nten; z ':--N 222 are ulwoys connecici;
tu the ground 244. The contacts of switches 238, 240 have notations to FicOs. 13A-e4 1+ ~ n; ~ ~ r r. ponding of ...:~icatir.~ the switch s ,t,... ..;r.,., to ~;~: ant~rr,u cuniic~Ura~ions o~
Figs. 13A
= , Y=~

[O't 41]1;7 use, referring to igs. 12 arid 15, a ecrnmai~icatio;~s c;c;k) is initiated either il ii1/ i, i-faceplate 88b (such as by the movemen-i of a mounting arm of the faceplate 88b, causing a magnet in the mounting arm to move into confronting relationship w9th a Elnagnetic sensor in the injector), or manually by an operator providing an input to the injector control 93. In either event, the injeotor control, at 900, operatss the switches 238, 240 to connect the antenna loops 220, 222 in a first of the four circuit configurations, for example, the circuit configuration shown in Fig. 13A.
Thereafter, the injector control 93 initiates, at 902, a communications protocol between the R/W
RF driver circuit 224b and the RF driver circuit 212 of the HF!D tag 60b.
Initiating a communications protocol is a known process by which the FWU RF driver circuit 224b causes the RIW antenna system 228b to emit an electromagnetic signal in order to f.
establish a re!iablA RF coupling with the tag arrtenna 210 and thus, establish an RF
communications with the RFID tag 60b. Upon establishing an RF communications, aFõu R/VY device 10~.b can i.~.r.;- iDrTl and~Gr %":r!o dr"..:~. ::"õ_ . .~
;aC~' /~v.
ai , i G' irljBClGi curttrol 03 determines tltat ti ii: .:cn7,riur iicaiions prutocci D04h and hence, the RF communications link, has been established, the injector control 93 .1[r-~ /~f~ /'.~
ill.,~.' M! ?/~ .'}, the ' / ~/~), ~J .1 AV lV plolot~i'w ' l~Ith iiC.G r .eA4+ c--ata from, +
n ;hn L.>~'~~, nMa y =t . ,~ . it ' ~+r ~~~i ~. :he writing of data +_, . ag ~ . . Hc:=. ~+c:, corLr ~
; dtterm,ines that the comm! iic ii~.,r~,; Iictocol fail.;c9, 4rnc". 71 .r,iL nr.r hr.h i= ... , . , , . ~r,~ .r re . , . , _ 1. . .
.... f l,. .a.....i.- ..,.,. ,:', ..~ . ..,..~~ . ~ .._ ....., ,..., . . . .
.. . _ . ..... ._..., , ..," .

,, i .,..~ õ..l....r ,... ....~.. ..~ , ., ... ., .~.~.ri..i ~ia ..........,.w .. _. _. .-.;,...,.> iiuvC. i.
toon tried. If not, the injector ;,anttoi 33 operates, at 910, 2308, 240 to connect the antenna loops 220, 222 into another one of the four circuit configurations shown in Figs. 13A-13B. Thereafter, the injector control 93 autoõ natically iterates through the process steps 902-908 to reconnect the antenna loops 220-222 in different circuit configurations in an attempt to establish a successful RF
communications protocol or link. If, at 908, 'he injector controE 93 has tried all of the antenna !oop configurations without cct s, at 0312, V, proi~-' ;'~, lu; or error rrres;age.
[(}'! 21141911-14 illustrate o o t e b 'i ~~ ' ~ a '~~lC ~ n.r.~}-, y, n c~.. diff r n m Jc :,,r1;., vf an an~enn i ~y ~ u Uiut may be employed with an eiectromaanetic R/W device 104b to react e. ciat,? tag f;nb api?iicsU ,o , ,yringe 20b mourifuC) 71r1 : i! Ul' ., 0'6b, !n ra . .,..,.. . > ;' , 410 1=1C. -c\A. C.'~ c\!r i"l(l' :S
- . .. . _ . _ . . . .. _ . . . . - c:-. 77',)! n or! U..rith,in a tr~n.cl.fC
f+t~= 25!' J , t:, ,3a. T
r >; t? .I%- t}.. " ~'.7'll t'y a c~:p 252 !f: :. ... . :.. manner.
data tag 80a is integrated into a label 30a applied to the syringe 20a, and the structure and operation of data tag 60a is substantiaily identical to the data tag 60b previously described. When utilizing the pressure jacket 250 of faceplate 88a, it is desirable that thf-, data tag 60a be readable regurc 1 ., of i:s orientation inside the piassure jacket 250.
[0144]Referring to Figs. 5A and 16, in a further exemplary embodiment of an RFID
communications system, to enhance readability of a data tag 60a, the pressure jacket 250 may be equipped with an antenna system 229a, which includes of an array flf antenna loops 254, 256, 258 spaced about a circumference of the syringe 20a, While equal spacing of the antenna loops is shown, other spacing may be used. The pressure jacket 250 has inner and outer cylindrical sleeves 260, 262, respectively. As illustrated, the antenna loops 254, 256, 258 may be molded between the inner and oritenr sle4ves 260, 262. Referrirv~ ;n Fig. 17, the a='rtenna loo?s ~~J
9_56, 256 have r ' n~ntlV~ ttln;nn circuits ~~~ =~f:c nr(+ n\. t, ,~,!d+ .t _. ! ,. ~.. ...1 r, v.., _.i.., .wI.u~ ~... i..~. t,.u ..i......v....v ...Ipl ,..IM
outer cylindrical sleeves 260, 262. Tuning circuit input leads 270, 272, 274 and a grot and lead 276 may be bundled into a cable 278 that extends fre!r tt-!e face plate 88a . !~
ir . ~'/!tchirn.circuit 241a IOC le-I 'n 'hn r1p'J ~. i l~c d 90. Tl~n - }r.i-rir= ,!!a 2/ii m~r onerate in any apprapriat ;n a;. .;,ner siy ihp j==,;}h rF'rr1~?( t fn -~~f i. ..,. ~ i ri ~,t I r 1.~~
...- . . .. . ...,~ _. .-. . . . . . M1 V

, =.: ... .. .:'.. .:. . . . .. .. _.,........ ,~. ....... ~õ ,~ . . .. ... .
.. ... ..:~ , r,,\.;vPr hvad 90. To exchan,r.,=. Gl~+ . 1ni:~'l !! a r+au..w C: ta :(~y ~
L.+'0a, t~ie i 224a -...
may execute a communications cycle utilizing the antenna loops 254, 256, 258 in a manner similar to that described with respect to Fig, 1'5. Thus, ir, cotnmunications with the data tag 60a, the R/W RF driver circuit 2L,~a rnay connLct i..j ~' r the antenna loops 254, 256, 258 in different circuit configurations In order to find a circuit configuration providing the most reliable communications with the data tur- 60a.
nrCr. T, s.,e antenna 7 ~, By u.>irr~ ~ ;/c i.loop.a, bi1 (equired to cornmunications cycle with the data tag 60a. 1; additional exemplary ernilodir:7 rlis, WNIs the . ''.' ~-t=tA(T) 229a is shCw1~ '~;~wililc'~ . ~ccN'~
~ ~:i.c, ., embodiments rnav include other appropriate n) 1,,,:iities and/or arrangements oT j = . ~ . ._ . -... . . . .. ....... .....:J~.~...,1, _. ... . õ .....-,.. ....1 ._.,, ..=,1=,t= -).......,, , .._. ..
plur2.!i~;~ o{ ',)o,ps that is lot :ossura;aclcet.
r entc, 2204 advantageousiy incorpbrate one or more anteniia loops that can be powered individually, or rnut:iaNy coupled together, to pr(~ou~-e several tuned antenna anca ~ M
field configurations. In some environments, the antenna systems 229a, 229b :may 'oe characteri,z_ed a~= pr; viding an effective low pc J~~õr :~ti -.Lem for reading data from ancJw writing data to a data tag that may be disposed at any location on a contrast media syringe. Moreover, that contrast media syringe may exhibit virtually any orientation relative to a faceplate of a power injector 50 with which it may be associated. Thus, the antenna systems 229a, 229b may positively address various challenges relating to use of an RF communications system around metallic or diamagnetic materials, e.g., water, saline, contrast media, or other fluids, and/or in a regulated environment that may mandate use of a relatively low power RF signal.
[0146]The exemplary embodiments described with respect to Fig. 1A relate generally to a life cycle of a container20 such as a cyr!r.~ ;i!!~d ::ith a p.harmaceutica!

a CJ~trc.ca iciiig 10 ;y. "air'ic:r cyclC~ ioiJ i=i' j to other types of containers 20c that are used to store radiopharmaceuticals.
While m!jch of the container life cyc!e 18b of Fig. ? P iU gc;-)orully similar to contairier !!fc cycle 18a of Fig. !,=t, radicpyarmaciutica;s r- "fer~nt }:andlinr ar ; st~r ' ~
The container 20c is schemutically shown a ,tat Ehe container 20C
., ~õ, ~. . <,. ~, >,,i~,! .._._ ...... _ . ..~.._ _...u .. ......... .. =., .

...~. .=~T=idil.:i i_,..L. .. , .-...~., : ,...I.GnC., .:.v'~ i.~ .. . . ..,.
~. , ....i ~NI,t..ii41......a3, =M, . . ., I=r,~ ;r.. , ;11; . _ .tr.t= nn . -, = .= . . . . -. , , .
U;.,.J~~i,i~-1..~., .,; õt.=.~ :u:3G'il GL, :11_j:;i:;lty' i.:l:i,",,,, .
,.... ..~~ .ir" 1 I;;~~, ..,, ,,,,.~
be performed at quality control station 31. Thereufter, the container 20c is placvd or loaded into a pig 33, which generally includes ,ead and/or other radiation shieldi,,, material to protect handlers from exposure io radiation from the radiopharmaoeuticai.

[0147] In a manner similar to that described with respect to container 20 of Fi9, 1 A, as i shot~.r. ir Fig. IS, the loaded pig 33 may ther:. be packaged either singular',= or as a " ~ "'i bat..' ':: a;. =.n~~ropriate shipping carto'' > and ,.~n,t;ped to a customer the cartons 34 are stored in a nuclear rnedicine department 29 withiri ii hospitai 42, ~
'v'vlliGfl yellciai;viiii;iu(:}es a radiopliarii'i:~cy ;,a room U. "3 r radionharm~ce~!*iCal container may be remcnwed from a pig and placed in a calibratinn tU4i1 -rv . ..:-,...:...o ..ai caalVllyIGV::i UI '1-:.~..:,....~:..,.,I..Il.ul,..[ll ~ u..,ttS.a 1~:',.= . ,. to tCS uS;.. -CliUpflarmaceuticai Cotlic, plaCElJ ' L7c'lLK liilc.
and a; : i . timL, the pig may ijf_~ a treatment room 26b. The i0 radi~Ni,u~, :airiLr,1'uy radiopharrr-aceutical may be injected into a patient 52 either manually or using a powered injPr..tor such as that shown and described herein. In various embodiments, different manual or powered injectors may utilize various principles of the invention, and are thus, included within the scope of this disclosure. 15 [0148]After use, the radiopharmaceutical container may be placed in the pig and retumed to the supplier facility 24; and at a post processing station 51, the radiopharmaceutical container may be disposed of and the pig may be cleaned for reuse.
[01 49]An exemplary embodiment of a radiopharmaceutical container draw-up and 20 packaging process implemented at a supplier facility 24 is illustrated in Fig. 6. A
radiopharmaceutical container 20c is filled, at 502, with a radiopharmaceutical at a draw-up station 28. Thereafter, at 504, a label 30 and/or RFID tag 60 are applied to the radioph~':-~,.,ccutlcal container 20c a''h "~i;r.; statian 32. The RFID
+;17 be integrated,,"aili'i, or separate from, the ii,,t RF1D tag 60 incorpolu;i~s 25 RFID chip and associated antenna in a Known manner. [01 50;As /=ig. 18, the RFfD tiA~ CC .:u,:'.__ a -,plied at ary suit~;1y D V (~ li C'- n ~1L ].~ nii..1 30 that is o a radiopharmace+,+i:7; ~~' cr a r:;diophau-nacc ', ~~1C%. i u... . _,I.~ vi i7it: ic.~Ullif.liu,li,.:...., . .:~. _.u, c.ii{ 111 =1 ' 00 dppklkay ttJ, _ .i.yPLGU i1111,1, lii4.~yiui~~ deScrlbed wir;, iespect lo Figs. 2A-2D, in u}~.Iu,~cC,uOCif ieCti, th4 syril,y~:

may be removable; and immediately prior to the syringe 20d being loaded into a power injector, a portion of the label 30 includir~g tt;e RFID tag can be peeled o'f applied to the injector or an associated reader. Upon removing the . ~.., ~...., .,y ~.,~ ~.,,,~..,,,. ,..,...... .. . .,~ ~ , ~~ . ~ . ~ . ..
....

radiopharmaceutical syringe 20d from the injector, the RFID tag 30 is reapplied to the radiopharmaceutical containei= 20d. An identical or different label 30 can aiso or f~l;t=i ~~In~:= !1 ,-, I~ V0 7i l-. n., n_ ! nrYirn=r.+. r~ .
a ! aG,ODi !ci!"~ ..~.!~i {tIC.'~ pim radiopharrrEaceuticai vial pig 33b, i=urth4: , aiabef 30 with an F;FID tag 0~-)- õan iJe appl ::d :~ r] ..ai11711 34, fJr ~!E',iZt~u 's ~,.,..t..
~ ~
[0'1511.VV;th in the supplier;aci'1'y ?.~ of FC. 1B, a read/virit3 PVtir r.ievicW 6? is !

SuLiu ..V.i.f.J' .i:';.~ r f:ul ._ .,.., 'a~,' t,~/, ilrCl_1c.tC:x i:~!i'i ::F1:I/or wr:t@ U'cltd u a pai bi:.t ;, 20c. As shown in Fig. 3B, the draw-up station 28 may include a draw-up station 1:J v~r~~al.l~v"{'. :,. V:KiV.il4'.,.. ,..v:.......,if:..a..:...J ,.il, ,i,'.~, . iIr>I~r' ...~.,..:v: .=,, ..... :.wl.~i:,..~':iiy, ,~ri .
the application, either or both of the RN11 devices 43, 62 can be used to write data to the RFID tag 60, which data includes but is not limited to the data previously described with respect to step 506. With a radiopharmaceutical, the data may also include all of the dose and prescription information that is currently,being printed on a prescription label and/or encoded into a bar code, measured radioactivity levels, for example, Tc-99 and Mo-99, and time when measured, an identity of radioactive elements used, for example, Tc-99 and Mo-99, their respective sources, and other suitable data.
[0152]Returning to Fig. 6, processes showi) in phantom at 507 and 509 are performed that are unique to the radiopharmaceutical containers 20c. First, at 507, quality control checks may be performed (e.g., at a quality control station 31) to determine, for example, a purity of the radiopharmaceutical, the correctness of information on the label, dosage information, etc. As shown in =ig. 30, the quality control station 31 may inclucie a quality cor,trol cornputar Ff5 wni:f an ussoc:u'.od Rl'rN
device 47 that may be used to read data from andlor write data to the RFID tag UG'~i;1 /~ll n ., r ~-~~} ,UJj1'~~, y 1 1., 1L y~.iUli4y ..v.:. v1 v..v4itiJ !.J'v.:ll~.~ v ...e .-. .. . .. ...: ,J~. . ..._ .
h~nr~i~iry(~
: . .
3i3rc.ge and transpnrf' ~r,tlcr"i'-~~1" , - .. _ . , t :~'=.-t ZZ T!~n :
f1c ~~~;~ can include ~,1 ~=, "? 'i ttC,r t.iJ L1:Jt..~:i:J'..~ifVc~,,1.~::(: i.. . . . ui., ...,..., _.. ,,_ . i ... ..
..._. j,,~ -. .
'..'.' . . , ,. . ....,. . .
L.14111G~rIG'r (i OV, used to read data from and/or write data to the RFID tag 65. Data that can be written to the RFID tag 65 may include data written to the RFiD tag 6~ o~ the container 20c as vvell as data that includes, but is not limited to, the following:

I

- A unique identification number for the pig. 1 .I
,~'h~'= ~ssoci õted with Ar identi~ a factory, pr~-~-';:c" :ion line, and/or " .,a' .c: ".::_=
h,~ o, " ,, A dai and rime a~ whw.';? iiiL corliainEr was if~6$rt(~C7 1i ii- ;.
N'J' -t,tly a:h;:i= cata,~S ._.. . ._ . .~ :'r': tha ortlsr, .=-c r2ad ~',_ .

.,.., . . ..,. ~., u;: ;.~~~~.. ~:=... , . . .
Lu i 54]At 508 in Fig. 6 (in a manner similar to that previously described with respect to 'i i Aone or more ~.~ t=ri~~= b loaded into a shi ~rl'~ ct:i:
9' )~. pigs 33 ~~ - pp= ;~ ;-ig. 1u).
At 510, the cartons 34 may be stocked as inventory in a shipping/receiving ;:~~ 3ased ori ord ~r:; ; e4eive'd, as indicated at 512, the cartons 24 may be further combined or palletized inLo a case or batch 67 for shipment tc:a a customer; and a iabel 66 can be optionally applieo to an individual shipping cartor 34 or a unified case or batch 67 of cartons.
[0155] Referring to Figs. 1 B and 7, the cartons 34 may then enter the distribution 15 channel 40 and may be received by a receiving department 44 of a treatment facility such as the hospital 42. A stocking and preparation process may be executed in process steps 602 and 604, which are similar to those previous described. Also in step 606, cartons may be delivered to a hospital radiopharmacy 48 (or nuclear medicine department of a healthcare facility or other appropriate location), and within 20 the radiopharmacy 48, an WW device 77 connected to a computer 79 can be used to read data from and/or write data to the pig RFf D tags 65. As shown in Fig.
3B, the computer 79, via the communications link 80, can also be used to update the modicine tracking database 751within'.he hOspit?) !!~mlf i5ir~?+i~
!'n.'?lC>!,!ter 78.
EUt56]Processes unique to radioptlarmclceUticdi corltaille s uir. i ill N!lufiiortl ui 25 607 and 609 in Fig. 7. Specifically, within the radiopharmacy 48, a calibration tool 49 , . ~,. _ ..r . ..J r l r -r õ. . .~ p 'uS+rC~, t wl, lC : _ . , _ ~= r.., ~,_.:_ }

,.....ivj.iriGiiiidri~Ulii,:w, =11i....,= .., .. .._=.iõ_,. i _.
~~~..Ivf,/..I' ,... ..,,. ..ti. ~'.. AYff?'r.~[tr=111nir~ry ~i= ~
'!"t J
, .-. . . . , . n n .I- ~
i~.~u; ~r,; fllAy;l'ctvc: ii Cciiit ler--, , _ .i..

.:.. .1:~iJ i1~: l.fr'::.fJV.:eillrC.a_,. .:...,:.__.,.. . ,::; ,.....,...
.....,... ,_..... ...-,,... ,.;....
l.,i = IC _CkIvail data _ IKr1 r-=r_rrti .= -.-. ,..., _ .'.. .',.. ~:r-II'\ , ~~i..vf.'. l(~~ll('1r_I C,{[~td to l~ IC 1V1 1 1-il 11J LG~J Vv uliUl/Vl ~Ilv I.Jry ...-u = lCt-,r.~.~
check/validation data may include but is not limited to - A check/validation time and date.
- The decay factor or haff life of the radiopharmaceutical.

- The prescribed activity level (curie level of radiation) at injecticF, time.
The activity level at anothcr 'i: ne, for example, the draY%f A mensured radioacti,.41y IPvr), . :
- A desired radioactivity level at time of treatment.
Oi u'n ;1y3;' ~
An identity of the calibratiorc tool and operator, etc.
[01.5/ lCot itinuing in Fig. 7, at the appropriate time, at,609, a pig 33 may be defivere.d .~,' room for use. The uc'c',uli::<3i Cuil be ~ uC~ ST'ili~i .., or using a power injector. In most, but not all cases, a syringe 20d or vial 20e containing the radiopharmaceutical is removed from a respective pig 33 for manual administration; but in other applications, a power injector and process as previously shown and described with respect to Fig. 8 may be used. With a radiopnarmaceutical, 4 the FM device 104 associated with the injector control 93 (see Fig. 3B) may write the current time and date to the RFID tag 60 to permit tracking of out-of-pig time (e.g., the d,Uratior, of time that a syringe or via! is not housed within the pig), if desired. During the radiopharmaceutical injection process, the displacement of the radiopharmaceutical container plunger may be precisely controlled, and pli-:nger feed may be tracked (e.g., recorded and wr',ttan to a tag associated with syringe and/cr pig).
[0158] It should be noted that labeling systems described herein have potential for eldminating a need for the calibration tcol 49. For example, the R/W devic4 104 of Fig.
3B can read a radioactivity level and time and date of measurement written into the ~,!r' ac by the quality control station F7:,F:G

scheduled treatment time and date. The injector control 93 can further calcuia#e the r1c,-= ,r . -,~~: == r ~ in ~r } n nlr_.:-, . . ~n- n r + h h. 7nr' .-.~.. . .-. ~ ,;}Li _ :oa.a;~ ity ie~ i ov ~ r .. , _. nc. .!~ ._ ,; . . . . .

f? r ,_ 1 , , t~ln a= riht~~ ~~~ih~harri!?cP.(ItIC":~ r~nr= niprTnr ~nr++rn~
.~n r-,1 int ti rnr c::=F
,. . . .
,, .;e - -! ~n fn L'.(? lTl!"r~~.:.1, j r. . . , s,.0 _ . . !,. . ..'~ . . ii:'; . . ~
i:~i lV U3 ~i 1 . . . . . ~f, . I~ ... .I ~ f~~.l . I _, . , . . .. ... ;;..
.., ... . . ... ; U~' " "t :.> _. ....... . . ..:. }t.;i.: t ':... ~ ,.,. . .
.,:...._.
F.., c . !
iuv. eruõ .., rrvJ,de a 4Espla;~ of ll,i: Gl il Ui iit UVVClg i~ 1VHIt~ IL U1 le ~1, 1lJ u calibration tool.
[0159]After the injection process, referring to Figs. 1 B, 5A and 19, the radiopharmaceutical container 20c may be removed from the faceplate 88b and placed back into a respective pig 33 as indicated at 802 in Fig. 19. The pig 33 may l..
then be placed in the same or a different carton and, at 804, returned to the shipping department 44 anc!. nt 806, returne(i to the sUpplier !'.G show,'n ?. he Ã
label associated with the radiopharmaceutical container may be read just prior to r disr)osc3l tQ tifininmlTõ":g i1ov.1 io:1(,~j tl')c CC a~!rr= , ;.u, x. L~
'::;(: 7; iA
radiation-shielding disposal and/or storage container before substantially all of its radioactivity has decayecl. For instance, the initial radioactivity of the Subsequent to that initial fill time, the radioactivity of that radiopharmaceuticai deCays.
Since the rate of decay is generally known, one may utilize the rate of decay and the duration of time that has passed from the initial fill time to determine how much storage time may be needed to sufficiently ensure that the spent container no longer has a significant amount of radioactivity associated therewith. This calculation of storage time may be accomplished manually and/or electronically (e.g., using an appropriate computer interconnected with the reader utilized to read the tag just prior to disposal).
[0160] At post processing station 51 within the supplier facility 24 (Fig. 1 B), at 808, the used radiopharmaceutical container may undergo suitable processing for disposal and, at 810, the associated pig rnay be cleaned for reuse. During post processing, any of the computers previously described can be used to read data from and/or write data to the RFlD tags on the container 20c, pig 33, carton 34 a, d/or pallet 67. 'Such activity may be application dependent to fulfill the needs of a particular supplier, customer, doctor and/or hoc~it~f n:s shown in Fir;. 36, a.
. õ
-~'=. ~ry ~n.. n~ to ~.. ti nr . ~;- =,,,..a ~ .. ,r.-.- =
.~ ~ õ_,, ~.... ,GGf...+ =.,i .., . rr . . , : ~ ..,.~ tl =c."d', i !,,v' {.,=~r=. it. .. .. _ ,. _.._, ii~~}i;I uC.i3i0f write data to the RFID tags 60 on one or both the radiopharmaceutical container or the ~~1~ / rl ,= ;~4 ~ Ir 1 Tra pG~-t ! r~( accin~ r . cn maf a. tn !{odate a supplier inventnn/ 17(? t"lhkirln ~~~! nnh~ -nr ~r tiral t'0!'t'''n~r' C r; Y1{i7f 'IYith{n ti~e~u~l('' . :~. in'i ~ f.:5, !'. = ,,i ~.', I?!
: . . . ,. .
aigs 321 Ii,ay be updatti:.+~ Gi = = .1 .. t~ ., .. =
. ;_. ~ .. . .. ._. ,.==._., .... rt,..1 r-. ~
t'~ cV{,=~,~,.ivl_.õ ....... .~iv iiV:..rii.:.~ r:. Yial C1 iillk U, rvl example, an lntemet connection, a telephonic connection, or other suitable link.
[0161]In methods as contemplated herein, RF tags 60 may be applied to a radioactive pharmaceutical container 20c that is subsequently placed in a lead lined pig 33. In such a circumstance, the pig limits the usability of the RF tags 60 and may prevent use thereof unless the container 20c is removed from the pig 33. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to be able to read dt t~ifrrm ~!.n ! s,rite data to, the RF tpn r,_' ,-the radiopharrnaceutical container 20c whar=, it is :,;orecf inside the pig 33. Suca 3 is ".4c11i --! I~\; nn p-_,Amr7l2!1i ..~,.rr{ n'nr,n~
1 .. J
Figs. 20-22.
[0162] Referring to Fig. 20, in a first embodimen~i, a radiopharmaceutical pig 33b has ~J
!i.~ .~I........a....t a.....-. '~~ ~~ 1 .....,.a . .....: _ ~ , i -rt' - l_ ~~~ . .
..+,. ~,._.. . . ... ta_.{ CwitU il'~ {-I~ici,=. . . . - . . ..- 'Ji~4J v:.-~
.-..._. . _ . ,,... -...
.. , formed in any of a wide variety of shapes and sizes, however, a substantially 10 cylindricai shape is illustrated. The cap 324 is joined to the base 322 by a threaded interconnection 325 in a known manner, A cap shielding element 326 within the cap 324 and a base shielding element 328 within the base 322 are used to block radiation that may be emitted from the radiopharmaceutical within a syringe 20c. The shielding elements 326, 328 can be formed from uny material that is effeciive to blocr radiation, for example, lead, tungsten, a filled polymer composite material, etc. The cap shielding element 326 forms a protrusion 329 that overlaps the base shielding element 328 when the cap 324 is mounted cn the t;ase 322. This overlap o, the shiclds 326, 328 facilitates a blockage of radiation flhrough a discontinuity in the shields caused by the cap 324 being separable from the base 322.
[0163] The cap 324 further has a cap shell 330 comprised of an outer shell portion 332 and an inner shell portion 334. Similarly, the base 322 ;, :s a cap shell 336 cornprised of an outer shell portion 338 and an inner shell portion 340. The base and cap shells ~!] n=~ made fro:r. a plastic "...-n.:.r1 t_.- D~= n~ly.r .ar~ati. nnC.'~a..
.. -.F,. , : :..~ , arnple, a~. . _ .,. rft~ r il ,~, %) t i,n !1 ' - u= ; r , n , ., . _ p. . . , ! . l~ ~. .1X0~t ,o thC: r i,dl . ...: i : ' j'fii1~E' C.= y n n for example, an adhesive, tape, elastic bands, etc. Indeed, the label 30 may be v,=,rl }~ r ';~-. .=~ = f~
affi the radiopharmaceutical .,v;~:,n,0-> i7 any Gppropri~~_Tn . .-+~~ w- .. , .:., ;;c t, ua it is not easily removable). The label 30 contains indicia 346 that is in human readable =.,_: . ..,nR~la? r:'1dahleto1'r1'1. Tl'~ , . . ' ~ . ... , . .. arl ~'.-.}~-~
.f,.. ,. . ,. , .
a~ i 7r'I~' ?ntegrated circL:'; :r.r~ ~t: r.,ast orle 'm;.
E:
T ,~ .,c..,.r ,.. _c.. n = ra .c , t. .,. .. , =a . f 3n h~ radioph;~r.,,-,t.
. õ _.. , - ~..,......._._,. ..,., _._ . . , ._.. :,~ ! ~y!'~ ?." -v_ .. :: , :,~ ' ,;.',. :.'. ,~. , , to the radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c is often collected at the point of its manufacture. Further, additional data is often collected at different points in a distribution ohannel at which the radiopharmaceutical pig 33b containing the ~.. ., ~
radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c is handled. Data is also colleCted upon the radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c being used and thereafter, upon its disposal or cleaning for ?n authrW~ 7.ed, rot.tse. Thus, ove. -",- ~ry~?ioioharmaceu',;, syringe 20c and as'SOciat;-d r diapharmacEuticai piy :_i:i'b, d"r3i.a thatcall bEr wiitten ii"itu . _,. . , , . ._ ,.._.' _ "z th~. RCr M t"n fif' ?irrmc,' i~ +h ~if:n previously described. Such data includes but is not -irnitedVto the decay factor for a radiopharniaceuiica; k'e.g., naif life of pharmaceuticai1, its prescribed activity level ot; ~ *~~ c ~ " ;=
t~=~. i ~. _ ,.,C.:'Jrl t,r;'..:} ;~ c; __, _ , _, : f4s: ,a....., ti...
[
filling time), and/or the time at which the preparing physician or radiopharmacist assumed the radiopharmaceutical would be injected. The activity level is a function ot ~:.
time due to the short half life of most radiopharmaceuticals, so the activity level is designed for a specific injection time.
[0165]1n order to obtain a maximum benefit from the data stored within the RFID tag 60, it is nece;~,ary to !;c ~b!e to read the tag when tho r:~.Iiopharrnaceutical syringe 15 20c is housed within the radiopharmaceutical pig 33b. in the embodiment of Fig. 20, at least one radio frequency inner antenna 358 is applied over an inner surface of the inner base shell 340; and at least one radio freque.~.M; outer antenna 364 is app!iou over an outer surface of the outer base shell 338. r,", :)ole 360 extends through tt;c inner base shell 340, the base shield 328, and the outer base shell 338. At least one connecting lead 362, for example, a copper wire lead, extends through the hole and has one end connected to the inner antenna 353 Lnd an opposite end connected to the outer antenna 364.
[01 66]The inner antenna 358 is designed to couple :,: :t" the RFID antenna ,= ~_ ~.11v..LGti(~~.J t'.~i :~.~i "177 2 r.. Yi l. r . '.... i... l... .' . ... ...
,..'._.1 1.., , .
J..- GI il.1J..Ji~J
electromagnetically couple with a: ~,ud/write ("RMJ") (I wvice 366 in itte same way that the RFID antenna 310 ;vould cpuple +hc L-11 %n, The ~J'1'.' ~ u'e~r;:.c ~6~ "
, . . r connected to a computer 368 in a known manner. The R/W device 366 electromagnetically couples with the RFID antenna 210 via the inner and outer .
..,.;...,-.~.t',... ""['1,~.= .f. l.lJlt./'~~Cw~l~lClt+l+ut~y~l j V'/:.
uirit~1lr~aJ vl~, VV'l 1~..,,/(.4IVti y. 1 II~C.'rCJ11,/~~1 ul~y Llli-.llt. ~
',J ~ !
is handled in its life cvcle, the WW device 366 can be tised to read information from, -i nrIr r = ri,~, r...._ ... . . .. .. ~ r. -. . -., . . . ... ... ....,, '.r_ ~. .., _. ,.. .. ,.. , ,~ .. _...

radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c via an RFID antenna system comprising the antennas 210, 358, 362, 364. It should be noted that the antenna may simply comprise leads of a sufficient length to be used as an RFlD antenna, in which case there may not be a coiled antenna section 364.
ff1,137iA:~othcy ~tio~lim~ " o' ? rad'r ,,.~;~ ,~ r~ir=r ~~~ :d ~.
., i syrinye 20c utilizing the f~I-~~ r,r~. .~r ~d~~ 6n totiviz in ~ = ~ Fr-,;v radiopharmaceutica ~ ~ ;s s~l Crc~. 21. ,n ~, . 4 . .J .i , .. .. _ . .. .. , . ., ... .r..n ~ .. ~, .., . . . .. . ,. õ . .
, 1, . _ , . ., outer surfaces 370, 372 of a top of the cap 324. 1-he antennas 368,,364 are electrically connected by at least one lead 362 extendiny thiouysl a hole 374 in the t.op Ui ihcn. Ca~.n, J24. ..., : . ., "UC? is aUr; t.v i~oup1o lMth ths RFlD antenna 210 via the inner and outer antennas 358, 364rccpectiveiy. T
nereiore, at any time the radiopharmaceutical pig 33b is handled in its life cycle, the R/W device 366 can be used to read information fram, and/or write information to, the RFtD chip 212 of the RFID tag 60 on the radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c via an RFID
antenna system comprising the antennas 210, 358, 364.
[01 S8] Placing the antennas 350, 362 in the top of tho cap :11241 ;;as some advantagas.
First, the top of the cap 324 often experiences less radiation exposure than the base shell 336. Further, the cap outer surface 372 often experiences less physical contact than the base outer shefl u38 during the handling of the radioph armaceutical pig 33b;
and honce, the outer antenna 362 on the ct,p cuter sur'acs 372 is less suhject to physical damage.
[0169]A further exemplary embodiment of a radiopharmaceutical pig 33b and radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c utilizing an RFID tag 00 is s;ovvn in Figs. 22 and 22A. In this embodiment, the RFID tag 60 has an RFID chip 212 on a first portion of a label 30c that is attached to the radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c in a manner LICi.1l.).iJiil.l ~(~( I~Cii yJJl.l . 1 1'?~. !_.1. . . ~I.iv?.. .. , .i . , .
= . . ..i..rviln..f t.' ,1~', ;.L4{,~ .
2:5 outside of the radiopharrn aceutical pig 323!) anC! has at lcnYt ur.:
i3FlD artrnna 210 C
;i;cr;,o+,.. Tho F'D .._ . ... ;,c',:rst ;abol portion 30- ._ ..: .~;rically connectod to the antenna 210 by at least one electrically conductive lead 376 integral with a tether 378. The conductive lead 376 and tether 378 may be formed from any materials that ~..~J~~~..:.. th4 ut;L.i~..i. ..i~............ ...... i..,.......'ii.:.. , i?~,, . .... , .,.~~i':, .. !l..'.i.i,,.! . .
uninsulated copper wire, ~.: } nr t'3co ia!Y'.Ina'6d on ~~1 nl.~... The thra~r!.,r!
..t.. ~ - 1 . ., - _ r. . _ . . . ... 1 '}'7n .. y..1 . I

tether 378, so that the cap 324 can be attached and rzmov;;v the base 322 without damaging the conductive lead 376 and tether 378. The R/W device 366 is able to electromagnetically couple with the RFID antenna 210, and the RFID
antenna t., l 210 communicates data to and from the R FID chip 212 via the conductive lead 376.
Therefore, at any time the radiopharmaceutical pig 33b is handled in its life cyclc, the .

_V'~l iy o RFID chip 212 of the RFID tag 60 on tiitr radi0pharmaceutical syrinqe 20c ~FIC;
. ... ~-I
ancerinasysterr! c;uinf,risirg _;i;
j017011n use, upon receiving an order for a radiopharmaceutical, a label 30 havinct. an RFID chip 212 and associated antenna 210 is applied to the radiopharrnaceutical syrirsse 20c, and the radiophurrrmOXeu'ice.l syringe 20c can be placed in a radiopharmaceutical pig 33b. At that time, data including but not limiiad to tina identity of the syringe and pig can be written to the RFID tag 60 in a manner previously described with respect to Figs. 1A and 10. The radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c and pig 33b are ther transported to a location where the syringe 20c is filled with a desired radiopharmaceuticai. This location may be at a radiopharmaceutical supplier or a location of a user of the radiopharrnaceut'ical syringe 20c. In either event, regardless of where the radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c is filled, as previously described, data can be entered into the RFID tag 60 relating to the filling process, the radiopharmaceuticai being filled, ancl the how the radiopharmacautical is to be used.
After being filled, the pig 33b holding the syririgL 20c fiiiecJ with tha radiopharmaceutical may be transported and stored several times before it is delivered for use in a preparation and/or imaging room. During use, the syringe 20c is removed from the pig 33b, and the radiopharmaceutical is injected into an examination subject or patient. After use, the empty syringe 20c is placed back in the pig 33b and returned to the pharmaceutical supplier or other location for proper ui.sNosai of tiic 2~~~:; anc: 25 radiopharmaceutical pig 33b reu-e.

[0171)Every time the radiopharmaceutical pig 33b and/or radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c is handled over their respectivc life cycles, in a manner as nrevinusly described, an R/W device 366 can be used to read data from, and/or write data to, the RFID tag thereby providing compiete t;flrCltlOlUWlUcli f1iStGry v lrir IeG c.,N;i(Lin a~cuuUu~ Pig rand syringe rudiQphan;),~t. .,vc, thE: rc~ ~.-':. ; f,q iijustrated in r=igs. 1ti, 3H, IC), ,)C: aii u.ClVditliltJ.G i!i i l,ui ai,1._., c,.i.f aii3i;
able to be transferred between all entities involved in a life cycle of a syringe 20, which is any entity that can communicate with the communitation link 80. Therefore, data available from a website on the internet 83 can be utilized during the life cycle of the -~ .

}
syringe 20. Such internet communications capabilities permits remote service of a power injector 50, downloading of an injection p~~tn,co!, communication wah a . . .i rer;:.,. :etiia ?n, ~ .". .
functions.

Lii j:rlnc~plE:s of :71a describincd varioi 1s exemplary embodiments, ar,ci }vhile such embodiments have beerl described in considerable detail, there is no iriter +':!i, io restrict, or in any way iirrii:, . ~..
scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and mod'rfications will readiiy appear to those skilled in the art. ; c; :. .:,rle, in t"e dpsCt iaed embodiments of Figs. 20-22, an RFID chip 212 may be positioned inside the pig.
in some embodiments, the chip 212 may be iocatrc' -.!tside th9 pig along with an associated antenna, and the chip may be physic,,' ,.ttached to the syringe 20c by a string or other attachment so that the radiopharmaceutical syringe 20c and RFID
information therein remain associated. AlternativPly, the pig 33b may carry an RFID
tag and antenna with no mechanical attachment to the syringe, but it may simply be known that the data therein relates to the syringe that is in the pig.
t"O i 73] , E~ui i~ic; in %& exeniplary ernbodi,~,!u ~ anc d '~ escribt~d ~
erein, thh ~;;::~;c v~
antenna systo~ ns 229a, 229a use one, tvio ar, _i alternative embodiments, any number of antenna loops may be used. The antenna loops may be configured in any shape and be in the same plane or in d'rfferent planes.
Further, the antenna loops may or may not be overlapping. in may, however, be preferable that the antenna loops be individually tuned to resonate at a specific frequency used by the RFID protocol. Further, in the described embodiment, a n+r rrir .- .R.~ d h vr-. a h V ,1 r- ~~-tU ~ i0~ a ..J an . ~ /.~r l . 1, t~ 1J I
JVf~tVI{ill~ l.rvv..-.'T iJ '.a va.. .. ..,'J~,:. .:.. .r [.F ~ri~+rr, 26 224b; rioltivV ', ?r'1 ::tiicrnaiv~ emttiiodirrii i1~:3, br' second PC board 103, be split between the tvvo t-'L, boards 102, 103 or locatGu elsewhere, for example, with the power injector as shown in Fig. 17.
[0174] In addition, in the described embodirnents, the R/W antenna systems 2210a.
229b are ap~iied to a pha; rnaceuticdl i-ijectiorhowevor, in afterna:ivc j'TlJf:r.1r~
. .. , .. . . . _._ . . ~ Y . .. . . , . , . ~ . . , ~aiiit tuIc , r;,:..y I iic i.i uit y .~'. r.i: ' ~:. '... .
deYiCl.3 thC.: , ' ... ... mvvrcu! t1}_..~ vv+~l..l~il JI
devices include but are not limited to a warmer oven or warming box, a container filling station, a pig or other nuclear medicine container, a dose calibration station, a handheld powered medical fluid dispenser, a syringe disposal station, or other device.

Page 50 =

[0175]The systems of the described embodiments relate to containers of inedical fluids. Two exar:-!p!es described in detail relato c, ~r,,1,7~-t media and respectiv,~
Ir g, es a !s c, lCt embodiments, rat~ rr ; lc? Fig. 10, the cor t,,l _,r .. '' ; ;li tauo 130 (ii1eC' v::~.

1 tilC N ,.;1 I ."t.l:~i iT1eCtl:ai fl'.! '.!
134 so that a flow of medical fluid from the IV bag 130 may be regulated via use of the pump 134. While or;~, c~tici of the tubing 132 is f,~.3'ociatcu wiih the 9Vi;ag 130, the other end of the tubing 132 may be connecte- io=~ patient in a known manner. T~ e IV bu, . J I l l~,y ~aVe a i~ E{ y l ~ti1ll . J %/ rJ ~I vV~~~VI
f it ?0 described herein, for example, an RFID tag. Further, the infusion pump 134 may be in electrical communicatior, with an electromagnetic device capable of reading data from and/or writing data to ihe data tag 60 of the IV bag 130. For.example, the electromagnetic device rrla,y be attached to and/or located within the infusion pump 134. As shown in Fig. 3C, the infusion pump 134 may have a control 136 connected 15 to the communications link 80 in a manner similar to that described with respect to the injector control 93 shown in Figs. 1 A and 1 B. Thus, the systems of Figs. 1 C
and 3C niay permit activity relating to the IV bag 130, the: rõ 2di:;ai fluid therein, and/or the i i .s. l. n r U rYi = 1l~~v d ..i.~4t .~ 1 ~.i~Gtõ~t .. .. .. =.C.. ~,r.i~
~'~.. 1- Ju~v,~.
~.i',~ =~', ....... .. r 130).
20 [0176]There are many known structures for mounting a syringe to a power injector, and the faceplates shown and described herein are only two such structures.
Other mounting structures may not permit removal from the power head. The inventions claimed herein can be applied to power heads having any type of structure for mc,-~tirg -a sy;;ncr In the shov:'n and a hca'er 1t"
õ - . , . ,.
. . .. .,_. .. . ... } _. _. h,~ h=~õ ,.. .
_ =C , .+1:= r- õ , ~, . ,. , .,,, _ _ ..... .._..,.t . _ .,.. ,,is.~..,,, ,..... . . .._. .._,.....
. . .. , ..~
106 may not be used aric therefore, deleted trom PL: Uu~, :s i 02, 103.
[0177] When introducing elements of the present invention or various embodiments thereof, the articles i'a"; "an", "the", and "said" are intp~nded to mean that there are onA
or more of the elements. The terms "comprising", and "having" are Ib ., .. -I.....,. _ _,... t .~.t!~ fll~a rn}h('r -h? ~
~IfG IIJC.U ~.IC:Ifi~lll:. .11~..lJt',1, t11C. U:{. vt r.} u= ~ - . =1 .I~.c ...ill., .., , "above" and "below" and variations of these and other terrns of orientation is made for convenience, but does not require any particular orieritation of the components.

, Page 51 i i 10178]Therefore, the invention, in its broadest aspects, is not limited to the specific cteiaii~- and described herein, di:p urtUres rrlil}I be 171c1i.iN iiUr;i , . . , y LhC; 6"Z;
VdE ic'l ~I
I

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~..
k

Claims (14)

1. A medical fluid administration device for supporting a syringe filled with a fluid between a plunger(and a discharge up from which the fluid is dispensed, the syringe having a data tag for storing data readable from the data tag, the administration device comprising:
a powerhead comprising a plunger drive adapted to be connectable the plunger;
an administration device control operatively connected to the powerhead;
a pressure jacket mountable on the powerhead and adapted to receive and support the syringe; and an antenna mounted on the pressure jacket and operative to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals respectively, to and from, the data tag to read data stored in the data tag.

2. The administration device of claim 1 further comprising:
a tuning circuit electrically connected to the antenna for tuning the antenna to a desired frequency; and a driver circuit electrically connected to the tuning circuit and the administration device control, the driver circuit providing a drive signal to the tuning circuit causing the antenna to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals respectively, to and from, the data tag to read data stored in the data tag.

3. The administration device of claim 2 wherein the desired frequency is about 13.56 Megahertz.

4. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the pressure jacket is mounted on a forward end of the powerhead.

5. The administration device of claim 1 wherein the pressure jacket comprises:
an cylindrical inner sleeve; and an cylindrical outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve and the antenna is located between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

6. The administration device of claim 5 wherein the tuning circuit is located between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

7. The administration device of claim 5 further comprising:
a plurality of antennas mounted between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve;
a plurality of tuning circuits mounted between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve and electrically connected to respective ones of the plurality of antennas and the driver circuit for tuning the respective ones of the plurality of antennas to a desired frequency.

8. The administration device of claim 7 wherein the plurality of antennas is equally spaced about a circumference of the pressure jacket.

9. The administration device of claim 2 further comprising a switching circuit electrically connected between driver circuit and the plurality of tuning circuits and operable to connect the array of antennas and the plurality of tuning circuits in different circuit configurations.

10. The administration device of claim 2 wherein the switching circuit and driver circuit are located in the powerhead.

11. A method of using a medical fluid administration device comprising an electromagnetic device operable to read data from and/or write data to a data tag, the data tag being readable by electromagnetic signals and being associated with a container having medical fluid disposed therein, the method containing:

electrically connecting an antenna mounted on a pressure jacket of the medical fluid administration device in a first circuit configuration; and attempting an RF communication between the electromagnetic device and the data tag, wherein attempting comprises providing RF power to the first circuit configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
Determining whether or not RF communication is or was established between the device and the data tag;
if determined unsuccessful, electrically reconnecting the antenna in a further circuit configuration different from the first circuit configuration;
and attempting another RF communication between the electromagnetic device and the data tag, wherein the attempting another RF communication comprises providing RF power to the further circuit configuration.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising ~ the determining, the electrically reconnecting, and the attempting another RF
communication until determining that a successful RF communication has been established between the device and the data tag.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein, a desired RF communication frequency is about 13.56 Megahertz.