# US 9,517,329 B2 · Venous access port assembly with X-ray discernable indicia > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,329 B2 - Document ID: US9517329B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/088,762 - Filed: 2011-04-18 - Published: 2011-10-20 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2007-07-19 - Assignees: Medical Components, Inc. - Applicants: Raymond Bizup; Kevin Sanford; Christopher Linden; Kenneth M. Zinn - Inventors: Raymond Bizup; Kevin Sanford; Christopher Linden; Kenneth M. Zinn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517329B2 ## CPC - A61M 39/0208: {Subcutaneous access sites (implantable infusion devices A61M5/14276; transcutaneous access sites A61M39/0247)} - A61M 39/04: having pierceable self-sealing members - A61M 2039/0009: {Assemblies therefor designed for particular applications, e.g. contrast or saline injection, suction or irrigation} - A61M 2039/0045: {Radiopaque indicia} - A61M 2039/0205: {for injecting media} - A61M 2039/0238: {having means for locating the implanted device to insure proper injection, e.g. radio-emitter, protuberances, radio-opaque markers} - A61M 2205/04: implanted - A61M 2205/32: with radio-opaque indicia - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A venous access port assembly having a housing base with a discharge port, a septum, and a cap, with an interior reservoir. The housing base is provided with X-ray discernable indicia to identify an attribute of the assembly after its implantation and clearly appear on an X-ray of the patient in a manner informing the radiologist or technologist and the medical practitioner of that particular attribute. Such indicia can be depicted as cutouts through a disc of radiopaque material where the cutouts are in the form of alphabetical letters such as “CT”, or can be a set of discrete elements of radiopaque material, that are affixed along the bottom surface of the housing base or embedded within the thickness of the bottom housing wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An implantable venous access port assembly, comprising: a needle-penetrable septum; and a housing securing the needle-penetrable septum, the housing comprising a housing base having a bottom wall, including X-ray discernable indicia embedded into a thickness of the bottom wall, wherein the X-ray discernible indicia visually indicate, under X-ray examination, an attribute of the port assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The port assembly of claim 1, wherein: the bottom wall of the housing base comprises a bottom surface, and the X-ray discernable indicia are recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, whereby the X-ray discernable indicia are visible by an unaided eye prior to implantation of the port assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The port assembly of claim 2, wherein the housing further comprises a generally planar portion of radiopaque material recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, the generally planar portion of radiopaque material comprising one or more cutouts forming the X-ray discernable indicia that visually indicate, under X-ray examination, the attribute of the port assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The port assembly of claim 2, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia comprise one or more discrete elements of radiopaque material separately recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, the one or more discrete elements visually indicating, under X-ray examination, the attribute of the port assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The port assembly of claim 1, wherein: the attribute of the port assembly is a pressure property of the port assembly, and the X-ray discernable indicia visually indicate, under X-ray examination, the pressure property of the port assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The port assembly of claim 5, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia visually indicate, under X-ray examination, that the port assembly is rated to be used for power injection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The port assembly of claim 5, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia visually indicate, under X-ray examination, that the port assembly is adapted to withstand high pressures used for injection of contrast fluid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The port assembly of claim 1, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia are formed by titanium. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The port assembly of claim 1, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia are formed by silicone and a barium sulfate filler. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The port assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a skirt formed from radiotransparent material molded around at least a portion of the housing base. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The port assembly of claim 1, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia comprise one or more alphabetical letters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The port assembly of claim 11, wherein the one or more alphabetical letters comprise the letters “C” and “T”. ### Claim 13 An implantable venous access port assembly, comprising: a housing comprising a housing base comprising a bottom wall having X-ray discernable indicia embedded into a thickness thereof that indicate an attribute of the port assembly; a needle-penetrable septum; and a cap securing the needle-penetrable septum to the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The port assembly of claim 13, wherein: the bottom wall of the housing base comprises a bottom surface, and the X-ray discernable indicia are recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, whereby the X-ray discernable indicia are visible by an unaided eye prior to implantation of the port assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The port assembly of claim 14, wherein the housing further comprises a generally planar portion of radiopaque material recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, the generally planar portion of radiopaque material comprising one or more cutouts forming the X-ray discernable indicia that indicate the attribute of the port assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The port assembly of claim 14, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia comprise one or more discrete elements of radiopaque material separately recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, the one or more discrete elements indicating the attribute of the port assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The port assembly of claim 13, wherein: the attribute of the port assembly is a pressure property of the port assembly, and the X-ray discernable indicia indicate the pressure property of the port assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The port assembly of claim 13, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia indicate that the port assembly is rated to be used for power injection. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The port assembly of claim 18, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia indicate that the port assembly is adapted to withstand high pressures used for injection of contrast fluid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The port assembly of claim 13, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia are formed by titanium. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The port assembly of claim 13, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia are formed by silicone and a barium sulfate filler. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The port assembly of claim 13, wherein the housing further comprises a skirt formed from radiotransparent material molded around at least a portion of the housing base. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The port assembly of claim 13, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia comprise one or more alphabetical letters. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The port assembly of claim 23, wherein the one or more alphabetical letters comprise the letters “C” and “T”. ### Claim 25 An implantable venous access port assembly, comprising: a housing comprising a housing base and a skirt overmolded around at least a portion of the housing base, the housing base comprising a bottom wall including a thickness, wherein X-ray discernable indicia that indicate an attribute of the port assembly are embedded into the thickness; a needle-penetrable septum; and a cap securing the needle-penetrable septum to the housing. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The port assembly of claim 25, wherein: the bottom wall of the housing base comprises a bottom surface, and the X-ray discernable indicia are recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, whereby the X-ray discernable indicia are visible by an unaided eye prior to implantation of the port assembly. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The port assembly of claim 26, wherein the housing further comprises a generally planar portion of radiopaque material recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, the generally planar portion of radiopaque material comprising one or more cutouts forming the X-ray discernable indicia that indicate the attribute of the port assembly. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The port assembly of claim 26, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia comprise one or more discrete elements of radiopaque material separately recessed into the bottom surface of the bottom wall, the one or more discrete elements indicating the attribute of the port assembly. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The port assembly of claim 25, wherein: the attribute of the port assembly is a pressure property of the port assembly, and the X-ray discernable indicia indicate the pressure property of the port assembly. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The port assembly of claim 25, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia indicate that the port assembly is rated to be used for power injection. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The port assembly of claim 30, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia indicate that the port assembly is adapted to withstand high pressures used for injection of contrast fluid. ### Claim 32 (depends on 25) The port assembly of claim 25, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia are formed by titanium. ### Claim 33 (depends on 25) The port assembly of claim 25, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia are formed by silicone and a barium sulfate filler. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) The port assembly of claim 25, wherein the X-ray discernable indicia comprise one or more alphabetical letters. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The port assembly of claim 34, wherein the one or more alphabetical letters comprise the letters “C” and “T”.