Saline Chase Capability AND Patented Extravasation Detection

For almost 10 years, E-Z-EM has been offering EDA technology on our Empower injectors. Our EDA patch is the only clinically proven device that helps detect extravasations of contrast media. At 10 mL/sec it takes just 2 seconds for an extravasation to become clinically significant. And when ionic compounds are injected, the outcome can be even worse. Why accept the risk? E-Z-EM offers the proven solution featuring both high sensitivity and high specificity.

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Now with

option CAN-CiA DSP 425 protocol.

EmpowerSync allows for synchronization between the EmpowerCTA Injector System and the CT scanner, permitting automated and coordinated operation of both the scanner and the injector from the scanner’s control system. The following controls are available on the scanner: arm, run, pause and stop. EmpowerSync provides feedback to the scanner as to the injector’s operational status. This feature helps ensure consistent outcomes as scanning automatically begins based on contrast/injection parameters.

Phasing Protocol with EmpowerCTA Double-barrel Injector
Dr. Dennis Foley and colleagues have been using the EmpowerCTA since purchasing their 64-channel scanner in mid-June 2004. Dr. Foley developed a "triphasic injection protocol" for the EmpowerCTA that addresses the unique opacification requirements of cardiac CT. In the first phase, contrast is injected rapidly to produce a dense left heart. In the second phase, contrast is injected less rapidly to achieve a partly dense right heart. Finally, in the third phase, saline is injected to clear the superior vena cava.

In Dr. Foley's practice, using a mini-bolus technique, aortic peak is determined from a time attenuation curve. Then, the time from the beginning of injection to aortic peak is the circulation time to the mid-ascending aorta. Four seconds are then allowed from aortic peak on the mini-bolus until acquisition begins. Dr. Foley stated that there are two reasons for doing this, "Number one, we know that aortic attenuation will continue to rise with the longer duration injection until it reaches a relative plateau at about 4 seconds after the peak from the mini-bolus. The second reason is if there is any cardiac reactivity to contrast, it's likely to occur in those first 4 seconds after the aortic arrival. So it's essential to understand that the bolus that's injected is not a square wave front bolus, it actually is a sloping front bolus. So that the reason for delaying for those 4 seconds is to capture the plateau peak of contrast reached about 4 seconds after the peak from the mini-bolus."

"We do inject saline rapidly at 6 cc per second. We inject it for 8 seconds before we acquire data. The reason for doing that is to clear the superior vena cava. Just to return to the issue of the second phase of the injection, we inject deliberately at a slow rate, that's 2 cc per second, in order to achieve this partial opacification of the right heart at reproducible attenuation values of about 100-150 Hounsfield units. So, some opacity of the right heart is necessary in order that the computer algorithms can separate out the coronary arterial tree from the background ventricle."

Basic System Description
EmpowerCTA Double-Barrel Injector Head with Controller, Touch Screen Remote (PC Windows-based) with Desktop Mount, Power Supply, Communications and Power Cables, Pendant Switch.

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