Apparatus and methods for delivery of fluid injection boluses to patients and handling harmful fluids

A method for controlling the delivery of an injection bolus of a medical fluid to a patient through a fluid flow path, the method comprising:

• determining a desired flow rate of the medical fluid at a distal end of the fluid flow path based upon at least a desired shape of the injection bolus at the distal end of the fluid flow path;
• initiating a fluid delivery operation by delivering the medical fluid through the fluid flow path according to fluid delivery parameters provided to a powered injector by a controller;
• determining an actual or estimated measure of a flow rate at the distal end of the fluid flow path;
• and
• executing, by the controller, a control function to adjust the fluid delivery parameters based upon the actual or estimated measure of the flow rate at the distal end of the fluid flow path to improve the actual shape of the injection bolus at the distal end.

A system for delivering a medical fluid, the system comprising:

• a fluid flow path;
• a fluid administration device adapted to deliver the medical fluid through the fluid flow path;
• and
• a controller in communication with the fluid administration device, wherein the controller is configured to receive information about a fluid delivery operation and to provide fluid delivery parameters to the fluid administration device,
• wherein the controller is programmed to execute a control function to adjust the fluid delivery parameters based, at least in part, on the information about the fluid delivery operation received by the controller,
• wherein the information about the fluid delivery operation received includes an actual or estimated measure of a flow rate of the medical fluid at a distal end of the fluid flow path.