BLOG: Advanced Injector System Provides Greater Control and Accelerates Patient Care

Medical imaging and contrast use have become an integral part of the diagnostic process to determine the best individually tailored treatments. This, in turn, has driven demand for innovative injector systems that offer greater control, more safety features, dependable performance and ease of use.

Dedicated to patient safety and meeting the demands of today’s advanced MR procedures, Bracco Diagnostics Inc. presented its EmpowerMR Injector System at the 2021 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference in Chicago.

EmpowerMR Injector System

Part of Bracco’s SmartInject technology suite, the EmpowerMR Injector System is a hydraulic-powered Magnetic Resonance (MR) injector that offers numerous advanced features that enhances ease of use and ultimately translate into safe, successful procedures and operator peace of mind. The system provides a comprehensive approach to ensuring safety and image quality in magnetic resonance imaging.

Rated for use with 1.5T, 3T, and up to 7T scanners, the injector system helps capture optimal images.

"The EmpowerMR is a highly efficient injector system,” said Chad Durling, senior manager, device marketing for Bracco Diagnostics Inc. “It is unique in that it is battery-free and powered by an innovative hydraulic system, which works with vegetable oil (yes, that is correct), that is safe for the environment, and not generate a magnetic field due to its low voltage DC components. This means minimizing radiofrequency transients and frequency distortions.”

Driving Safety and Efficiency

The EmpowerMR improves clinical workflow and helps healthcare professions do more while delivering the best possible care to patients. The system offers a full range of integrated features that are designed to drive safety and efficiency, including:

• An ARM mode allows the software to run diagnostic checks prior to injection, as well as guard against unintentionally starting the injection.
• A tilt lockout helps minimize the risk of air embolism by ensuring that the injector runs only in the down position.
• A color-coded illuminating handle lets you know whether the injector RAM is in motion
• A KVO feature provides added assurance that the patient's vein remains open.
• If an overpressure condition occurs in this mode, the system automatically pauses the injection and notifies the technologist to check for occlusion.
• An injector head with no limits on proximity to the scanner bore.
• Color-coded keys on either side of the injector handle allow you to test, arm, run and stop the injector from whichever side is more accessible.
• A remote with a color LCD display panel featuring visual prompts to guide you through the process and soft keys to control the injection procedure from the control room.
• A user-friendly remote display with anatomical identifiers allows easy viewing and programming of protocols
• The system stores up to 50 separate contrast protocols.

“All of these features allow technologists to be in full control of the patient,” Durling explained. “Additionally, the color-coded handle changes from orange to blue based on whether it is injecting contrast or saline—providing good visualization if you are outside of the room. You can see when you are injecting contrast and when you are injecting saline.”

Simplicity and Flexibility

Featuring a user-friendly remote interface and easily accessible help function that provides instant on-screen operational guidance, the system is designed with simplicity and flexibility of use in mind. Its dual initialize-and-replace syringe improves clinical workflow and increases productivity and eGFR calculator helps calculate the optimal volume of contrast for kidney-impaired patients further enhancing safety measures.

In addition, each EmpowerMR Injector System comes with a 24/7 technical support, and locally based technicians are available to provide on-site preventive maintenance, service, and repair.

“Simply put, the EmpowerMR injector system is a very dependable and user-friendly injector. If you have technologists who are cross-training between CT and MR systems, it is a very easy transition between the two user interfaces—an added benefit to our customers, especially nowadays when healthcare providers are pressed to do more with less and staff is filling multiple roles,” Durling said.

Editor’s note: This blog is the third of a four-part series on smart injection technology. The first blog, Smart Injector Technology Delivers Effective and Efficient Patient Care, can be found here. The second blog, Patient-centric Injector Solutions Help CT Departments Take Control, Improve Safety, can be found here.