Introduction:
Clinical reports show that cerebral blood flow conditions are indicative of cerebral vascular disease. While methods for characterizing cerebral vascular flow have been extensively reported in the past, comparative analyses between direct flow measurements (DM) and computational flow dynamic (CFD) analysis remain limited. We
hypothesize
that flow data can be reliably measured both directly and through CFD in normal vessels.
Methods:
A left heart replicator was used as a realistic cardiac pump which maintained systolic pressure at 120 mmHg and diastolic pressure at 80 mmHg. A stenotic model with 50% stenosis for the ICA was connected to the replicator. A ComboWire was used for DM and recorded flow pressure and velocity. CFD was used to study flow.
Results:
In areas at the proximal end of the stenosis, the pressure and flow velocity derived from DM and CFD were in good agreement. At the end of systole and diastole, DM pressure were 145.42 mmHg and 73.53 mmHg, respectively. CFD simulation for the same system obtained the pressure at the end of systole and diastole of 147.16 mmHg and 74.64 mmHg, respectively. The velocity data collected from DM was at 15.40 cm/s and 7.74 cm/s for systolic flow and mean flow velocity. CFD measured flow was 17.85 cm/s and 11.37 cm/s, respectively. In areas at the distal end of the stenosis, pressure data showed good agreement between DM and CFD analysis. The DM were 138 and 70.81 mmHg at the end of systole and diastole, respectively; CFD simulation yielded 145.95 and 74.51 mmHg, respectively. Variations in the velocity data were observed at this location (Fig, pink arrows).
Conclusion:
DM of pressure showed good agreement with CFD simulation in all areas of the vessel. DM of velocity using the flow wire were highly affected by location of the measurement. CFD analysis can provide more consistent flow data for flow information collection along the vasculature.
Effects of smoking on regional cerebral blood flow in cerebral vascular disease patients and normal subjects.
