US 2008/0166292 A1 · Pharmaceutical Dosing Method

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for more accurately determining a radiopharmaceutical dose administered to a patient by relying on a time factor. Particularly, broadly contemplated herein is the administration of a dose on the basis of an elapsed time from when a dose was last accurately measured in the past to when it is injected into the patient. As such, when a dose is first measured, that timepoint is preferably recorded whereupon the time of injection or administration into a patient is also recorded. Based on the original measured dose, the radionuclide (and thus its known decay rate) and the time elapsed, the dose is calculated and not directly measured on injection. The clocks on the filling station and the transport cart are synchronized to each other or to a known and accepted time standard. In this manner, there is temporal continuity and no inaccuracies of time or loss of time occurs between measurement and injection.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An arrangement for providing radiopharmaceutical, said arrangement comprising:

a carrying medium for carrying radiopharmaceutical to provide a radiation dose to a patient;
a first location at which radiopharmaceutical is provided to said transport medium;
a second location;
a first timing arrangement, associated with said first location, for ascertaining a first timepoint;
a second timing arrangement, associated with said second location, for ascertaining a second timepoint;
a first measuring arrangement, associated with said first location, for measuring a radiation dose;
an arrangement for ascertaining a radiation dose associated with said second location based on the radiation dose measured by said first measuring arrangement, the first timepoint and the second timepoint.

4 more elements

A method for delivering an effective dose of a radiopharmaceutical material characterized by a radioactive decay half-life to a patient, comprising the steps of:

a. dispensing said radiopharmaceutical material from a source thereof into a radiopharmaceutical storage unit to which is affixed a data storage unit;
b. determining a first time when said radiopharmaceutical material was dispensed into said radiopharmaceutical storage unit using a first timekeeping unit;
c. measuring a radioactive activity of said radiopharmaceutical material at said first time with a measuring unit;
d. writing data onto said data storage unit, said data comprising said radioactive activity and said first time
e. placing said radiopharmaceutical storage unit into a patient dosing unit comprising a transfer unit to transfer said radiopharmaceutical material from said radiopharmaceutical storage unit into said patient;
f. placing said patient dosing unit proximate to said patient;
g. making a transference connection between said patient and said transfer unit;
h. reading said data from said data storage unit;
i. determining a second time when said effective dose is transferred into said patient using a second timekeeping unit, said second timekeeping unit being synchronized with said first timekeeping unit according to a time basis unit;
j. calculating said effective dose based on said first time, said second time, said radioactive activity, and said radioactive decay half-life;
and
k. transferring said effective dose into said patient from said radiopharmaceutical storage unit by means of said transfer unit through said transference connection.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pharmaceutical Dosing Method

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Pharmaceutical Dosing Method

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Abstract

Claims19