Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, showcased their contrast delivery system with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology for the first time at the AHRA. The components integrate RFID technology to create a system that is designed to aid in patient safety by helping to reduce the risk of medical errors in radiology departments.

The reduction of risk in the radiology suite is one of the key issues facing the radiology industry today. Covidien's contrast delivery system combines its unit dose RFID-enabled UltrajectTM prefilled syringes with its RFID-enabled OptivantageTM DH dual head power injector to provide the only contrast delivery solution of its type in North America.

RFID is an automatic identification technology that captures, stores, and transmits data between the prefilled syringe and the power injector using devices called RFID transponders, or tags/labels.

"The RFID tag circuit contains all information on the label," said Brian Straeb, Vice President of U.S. Marketing. "Medical error is a big deal and is getting bigger because people make mistakes and mislabel. The pre-labeling system protects patients from anyone who has manually used the system."

The RFID-enabled system creates an intelligent interface between the contrast media syringe and the power injector that helps radiology technologists to better ensure that each patient receives the prescribed concentration and programmed dose of a contrast media-related drug during a procedure.

"The syringes are pre-made for the technologists which promotes efficiency through-put because more time can be spent making the patient feel comfortable, especially during any painful reactions, rather than wasting their time getting everything ready to go," said Straeb. The system's control panel and console is also in the same room with the technologist and patient, and can even be put right next to the patient's bedside.

What is great about this system is that when the syringe is locked into the injector, a message pops up reading the label and expiration date, blocking the technologist from overriding the process if something is not safe.

"If the saline or contrast media is on the wrong side, there is nothing in the syringe, or it's a used syringe, the system alerts the technologist, saving us money and time by not requiring us to do the procedure again," said Jeff Lockwood, Director of U.S. Marketing, Imaging Devices, Covidien.

The interface allows the injector to physically alter the RFID label on a syringe once it's used, which can substantially reduce the probability of life-threatening air injections or air embolisms caused from using an empty, used syringe. If a syringe has already been used it looks like there may be something in there, but it's really just air.

"Cleaning fluid has been injected into a patient before," Straeb pointed out, noting an example of an egregious medical mistake.

This system also helps reduce the potential for infection from cross-contamination by automatically preventing the injection of contents from a previously used RFID-labeled syringe in another patient exam. One dose, one unit, one patient is their motto. Additionally, the system indicates if the drug in an RFID-labeled syringe is past its expiration date and it automatically transfers drug and achieved exam protocol information, like its manufacturing date, concentration, and fill sizes, onto a printed label for the patient record.

"This is much safer, simpler, and gets the right stuff to successfully complete exams," said Lockwood.

With Covidien's system, technologists can conduct twenty five procedures a day and capture more information accurately.

"As facilities move at a faster rate, we migrate in innovation even more so, getting rid of manual data," said Lockwood. "We are the only integrated system out there that does all of this."

The contrast delivery system has been well received by its key customers and facilities, with an early positive response. "We expect this technology to be the platform for future innovation," said Steve Hanley, President, Imaging Solutions, Covidien.