CO2 ANGIOGRAPHY INJECTOR DEVELOPMENT

ANGIOGRAPHY WITH STANDARD CONTRAST MEDIA IS OFTEN PAINFUL AND OCCASIONALLY CAUSES HYPERSENSITIVITY (ALLERGIC) REACTIONS IN PATIENTS. DIGITAL SUBTRACTION X-RAY TECHNIQUESHAVE MADE POSSIBLE THE USE OF THE GAS CO2 AS A CONTRAST AGENT FOR ARTERIAL AND VENOUS IMAGING. NO CO2 INJECTORS PRODUCED FOR THIS APPLICATION ARE CURRENTLY BEING MARKET- ED. THE GRANTEE WILL CHARACTERIZE CO2 FLOW THROUGH CATHETERBY DIRECT MEASUREMENTS AND ANALYTICAL MODELLING. BEST FLOW RATES AND VOLUMES FOR IMAGING WILL BE DETERMINED FROM A SERIES OF STUDIES. PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR A COMMERCIAL ANGIOGRAPHIC CO2 INJECTOR WILL BE ESTABLISHED.