LSUHSC Shreveport
Radiology Department
Proc 13.17
Condition #7
When the
injection starts,
almost no
pressure buildup
is witnessed,
when a buildup
was expected.
Due to operator error, there
may be no fluid in the
syringe (you could be
injecting air). The injector
will experience almost no
resistance to moving the
syringe plunger forward
with an empty syringe.
Note
: Very slow injections
through large disposable
sets will require and display
very little pressure. This is
normal. What is being
described above is a
condition where a buildup
of pressure was expected,
and none was witnessed.
OR: You may have two
syringes on the injector,
only performing a single
syringe injection, and the
LPCT may be connected to
the wrong syringe.
Stop the injector
immediately and
investigate.
Check the fluid path for
air.
Condition #8
At the end of a
normal injection,
the pressure
graph does not
immediately
drop to zero.
Stellant is designed to inject
all of the contrast in the
syringe to help minimize
contrast waste. Sometimes
in the process of doing this,
the piston pushes against
the front of the syringe as it
squeezes out the last drops
of fluid. This in turn
generates pressure, which is
displayed by the Pressure
Graph. This pressure
reading should drop to
baseline after about 50
seconds.
No action. This is normal
operation.
NOTE: Medrad makes no claims about the Pressure Monitor Graph other than it is a
graphic representation of the force required to move the syringe plunger, which closely
approximates the pressure developed in the syringe.
Written: 1/19/2007
