Radiopharmaceutical dispensing, administration, and imaging

Apparatus for use with at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, the apparatus comprising:

• a container containing the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent for administration to a patient;
• a portable computer-communicatable data carrier associated with the container, the data carrier containing:
• an identifier of the patient,
• imaging protocol information, for use with the patient and the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, and
• administration protocol information useful fox administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent,
• wherein the administration protocol information and the imaging protocol information specify a protocol using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, which protocol has a total duration, including administration and image acquisition, of less than 30 minutes, and includes at least one rest phase and at least one stress phase;
• an imaging system, which is configured to receive the imaging protocol information from the data carrier, and which comprises:
• a camera;
• and
• an imaging control unit, which is configured to drive the camera to perform an imaging procedure, and to configure the procedure at least in part responsively to the imaging protocol information received from the data carrier;
• an
• an administration system, which is configured to receive the administration protocol information from the data carrier, and which comprises an administration control unit, which is configured to generate an administration signal that triggers administration to the patient of the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent accordance with the administration protocol information received from the data carrier,
• wherein the apparatus characterize by a property selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) the data carrier comprises a coupling mechanism configured to be coupled to the patient, and the contained is labeled with the identifier of the patient,
• (b) the data carrier is physically coupled to the container, and
• (c) the apparatus further comprises a portable joining element, which is configured to be coupled to the container, and the data carrier is physically coupled to the portable joining element.

Apparatus for use with a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, the apparatus comprising:

• a container shaped so as to define a plurality of chambers, each of which contains a respective one of the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents for administration to a patient;
• a portable computer-communicatable data carrier physically coupled to the container, the data carrier containing:
• an identifier of the patient,
• imaging protocol information for use with the patient and the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents,
• administration protocol information useful for administering the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents;
• and
• an administration system, which is configured to receive the administration protocol information from the data carrier, and which comprises an administration control unit, which is configured to generate an administration signal that triggers administration to the patient of plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents from the plurality of chambers, in accordance with the administration protocol information received from the data carrier.

Apparatus for use with a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of containers respectively containing the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents;
• a portable joining element, which is configured to be coupled to the containers;
• a portable computer-communicatable data carrier physically coupled to the portable joining element, the data carrier containing imaging protocol information for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, and administration protocol information for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents;
• and
• an administration system, which is configured to receive the administration protocol information from the data carrier, and which comprises an administration control unit, which is configured to generate an administration signal that triggers administration to the patient of the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents stored in the plurality of containers, in accordance with the administration protocol information received from the data carrier.

A method comprising:

• placing in a container at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent for administration to a patient;
• associating a portable computer-communicatable data carrier with the container;
• writing by a device, to the data carrier, an identifier of the patient, and imaging protocol information indicative of steps of an imaging procedure, for use with the patient and the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent;
• reading the imaging protocol information from the data carrier;
• and
• performing the steps to the imaging procedure responsibility to the imaging protocol information read from the data carrier,
• wherein the method is characterized by a property selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) the data carrier comprises a coupling mechanism configured to be coupled to the patient, and associating comprises labeling the container with the identifier of the patient,
• (b) associating the data carrier with the container comprises physically coupling the data carrier to the container, and
• (c) associating the data carrier with the container comprises coupling the container to a portable joining element, and physically coupling the data carrier to the joining element.

A method comprising;

• pacing in a container at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent for administration to a patient;
• associating a portable computer-communicatable data carrier with the container;
• writing by a device, to the data carrier, (a) an identifier of the patient, (b) imaging protocol information for use with the patient and the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, and (c) administration protocol information useful for administering the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent, wherein the administration protocol information and the imaging protocol information specify a protocol using the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent which protocol has a total duration, including administration and image acquisition, of less than 30 minutes, and includes at least one rest phase and at least one stress phase;
• reading the imaging protocol information from the data carrier;
• performing the imaging procedure responsively to the imaging protocol information read from the data carrier;
• reading the administration protocol information from the data carrier;
• and
• generating an administration signal that triggers administration to the patient of the at least one labeled radiopharmaceutical agent in accordance with the administration protocol information read from the data carrier,
• wherein the method is characterized by a property selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) the data carrier comprises a coupling mechanism configured to be coupled to the pain, and associating comprises labeling the container with the identifier of the patient,
• (b) associating the data carrier with the container comprise physically coupling the data carrier to the container, and
• (c) associating the data carrier with the container comprises coupling the container to a portable joining element, and physically coupling the data carrier to the portable joining element.

A method comprising:

• placing, in a container shaped so as to define a plurality of chambers, a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents in respective ones of the chambers;
• physically coupling a portable computer-communicatable data carrier to the container;
• writing by a device, to the data carrier, (a) an identifier of a patient, (b) imaging protocol information for use with the patient and the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, and (c) administration protocol information useful for administering the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents;
• rendering the administration protocol information from the data carrier;
• and
• generating administration signals that trigger administration to the patient of the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agent from the plurality of chambers, in accordance with the administration protocol information read form the data carrier.

A method comprising:

• physically coupling a computer-communicatable data carrier to a portable joining element;
• placing a plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents in a respective plurality of containers;
• coupling the containers to the joining element;
• writing by a device, to the data carrier, imaging protocol information for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents, and administration protocol information for use with the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agents;
• reading the administration protocol information from the data carrier;
• and
• generating administration signals that trigger administration to the patient of the plurality of labeled radiopharmaceutical agent from the plurality of containers, in accordance with the administration protocol information read from the data carrier.