Comparison of fluid dynamics changes due to physical activity in 3D printed patient specific coronary phantoms with the Windkessel equivalent model of coronary flow

Author(s):  
Kelsey N Sommer ◽  
Mohammad Mahdi Shiraz Bhurwani ◽  
Vijay Iyer ◽  
Ciprian N Ionita

Abstract Background3D printing (3DP) used to replicate the geometry of normal and abnormal vascular pathologies has been demonstrated in many publications; however, reproduction of hemodynamic changes due to physical activities, such as rest versus moderate exercise, need to be investigated. We developed a new design for patient specific coronary phantoms, which allow adjustable physiological variables such as coronary distal resistance and coronary compliance in patients with coronary artery disease. The new design was tested in precise benchtop experiments and compared with a theoretical Windkessel electrical circuit equivalent, that models coronary flow and pressure using arterial resistance and compliance. MethodsFive phantoms from patients who underwent clinically indicated elective invasive coronary angiography were built from CCTA scans using multi-material 3D printing. Each phantom was used in a controlled flow system where patient specific flow conditions were simulated by a programmable cardiac pump. To simulate the arteriole and capillary beds flow resistance and the compliance for various physical activities, we designed a three-chamber outlet system which controls the outflow dynamics of each coronary tree. Benchtop pressure measurements were recorded using sensors embedded in each of the main coronary arteries. Using the Windkessel model, patient specific flow equivalent electrical circuit models were designed for each coronary tree branch, and flow in each artery was determined for known inflow conditions. Local flow resistances were calculated through Poiseuille’s Law derived from the radii and lengths of the coronary arteries using CT angiography based multi-planar reconstructions. The coronary stenosis flow rates from the benchtop and the electrical models were compared to the localized flow rates calculated from invasive pressure measurements recorded in the angio-suites. ResultsThe average Pearson correlations of the localized flow rates at the location of the stenosis between each of the models (Benchtop/Electrical, Benchtop/Angio, Electrical/Angio) are 0.970, 0.981, and 0.958 respectively. Conclusions3D printed coronary phantoms can be used to replicate the human arterial anatomy as well as blood flow conditions. It displays high levels of correlation when compared to hemodynamics calculated in electrically-equivalent coronary Windkessel models as well as invasive angio-suite pressure measurements.

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. E21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juhana Frösen ◽  
Juan Cebral ◽  
Anne M. Robertson ◽  
Tomohiro Aoki

OBJECTIVEUnruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) are relatively common lesions that may cause devastating intracranial hemorrhage, thus producing considerable suffering and anxiety in those affected by the disease or an increased likelihood of developing it. Advances in the knowledge of the pathobiology behind intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation, progression, and rupture have led to preclinical testing of drug therapies that would prevent IA formation or progression. In parallel, novel biologically based diagnostic tools to estimate rupture risk are approaching clinical use. Arterial wall remodeling, triggered by flow and intramural stresses and mediated by inflammation, is relevant to both.METHODSThis review discusses the basis of flow-driven vessel remodeling and translates that knowledge to the observations made on the mechanisms of IA initiation and progression on studies using animal models of induced IA formation, study of human IA tissue samples, and study of patient-derived computational fluid dynamics models.RESULTSBlood flow conditions leading to high wall shear stress (WSS) activate proinflammatory signaling in endothelial cells that recruits macrophages to the site exposed to high WSS, especially through macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1). This macrophage infiltration leads to protease expression, which disrupts the internal elastic lamina and collagen matrix, leading to focal outward bulging of the wall and IA initiation. For the IA to grow, collagen remodeling and smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation are essential, because the fact that collagen does not distend much prevents the passive dilation of a focal weakness to a sizable IA. Chronic macrophage infiltration of the IA wall promotes this SMC-mediated growth and is a potential target for drug therapy. Once the IA wall grows, it is subjected to changes in wall tension and flow conditions as a result of the change in geometry and has to remodel accordingly to avoid rupture. Flow affects this remodeling process.CONCLUSIONSFlow triggers an inflammatory reaction that predisposes the arterial wall to IA initiation and growth and affects the associated remodeling of the UIA wall. This chronic inflammation is a putative target for drug therapy that would stabilize UIAs or prevent UIA formation. Moreover, once this coupling between IA wall remodeling and flow is understood, data from patient-specific flow models can be gathered as part of the diagnostic workup and utilized to improve risk assessment for UIA initiation, progression, and eventual rupture.


2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitaliy L. Rayz ◽  
Loic Boussel ◽  
Gabriel Acevedo-Bolton ◽  
Alastair J. Martin ◽  
William L. Young ◽  
...  

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods can be used to compute the velocity field in patient-specific vascular geometries for pulsatile physiological flow. Those simulations require geometric and hemodynamic boundary values. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that CFD models constructed from patient-specific magnetic resonance (MR) angiography and velocimetry data predict flow fields that are in good agreement with in vivo measurements and therefore can provide valuable information for clinicians. The effect of the inlet flow rate conditions on calculated velocity fields was investigated. We assessed the internal consistency of our approach by comparing CFD predictions of the in-plane velocity field to the corresponding in vivo MR velocimetry measurements. Patient-specific surface models of four basilar artery aneurysms were constructed from contrast-enhanced MR angiography data. CFD simulations were carried out in those models using patient-specific flow conditions extracted from MR velocity measurements of flow in the inlet vessels. The simulation results computed for slices through the vasculature of interest were compared with in-plane velocity measurements acquired with phase-contrast MR imaging in vivo. The sensitivity of the flow fields to inlet flow ratio variations was assessed by simulating five different inlet flow scenarios for each of the basilar aneurysm models. In the majority of cases, altering the inlet flow ratio caused major changes in the flow fields predicted in the aneurysm. A good agreement was found between the flow fields measured in vivo using the in-plane MR velocimetry technique and those predicted with CFD simulations. The study serves to demonstrate the consistency and reliability of both MR imaging and numerical modeling methods. The results demonstrate the clinical relevance of computational models and suggest that realistic patient-specific flow conditions are required for numerical simulations of the flow in aneurysmal blood vessels.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245337
Author(s):  
Madelene Holmgren ◽  
Karen-Helene Støverud ◽  
Laleh Zarrinkoob ◽  
Anders Wåhlin ◽  
Jan Malm ◽  
...  

An internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis can potentially decrease the perfusion pressure to the brain. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to study if there was a hemispheric pressure laterality between the contra- and ipsilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) in patients with a symptomatic ICA stenosis. We further investigated if this MCA pressure laterality (ΔPMCA) was related to the hemispheric flow laterality (ΔQ) in the anterior circulation, i.e., ICA, proximal MCA and the proximal anterior cerebral artery (ACA). Twenty-eight patients (73±6 years, range 59–80 years, 21 men) with symptomatic ICA stenosis were included. Flow rates were measured using 4D flow MRI data (PC-VIPR) and vessel geometries were obtained from computed tomography angiography. The ΔPMCA was calculated from CFD, where patient-specific flow rates were applied at all input- and output boundaries. The ΔPMCA between the contra- and ipsilateral side was 6.4±8.3 mmHg (p<0.001) (median 3.9 mmHg, range -1.3 to 31.9 mmHg). There was a linear correlation between the ΔPMCA and ΔQICA (r = 0.85, p<0.001) and ΔQACA (r = 0.71, p<0.001), respectively. The correlation to ΔQMCA was weaker (r = 0.47, p = 0.011). In conclusion, the MCA pressure laterality obtained with CFD, is a promising physiological biomarker that can grade the hemodynamic disturbance in patients with a symptomatic ICA stenosis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 626-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M Cancelliere ◽  
Mehdi Najafi ◽  
Olivier Brina ◽  
Pierre Bouillot ◽  
Maria I Vargas ◽  
...  

Background and purposeComputational fluid dynamics (CFD) can provide valuable information regarding intracranial hemodynamics. Patient-specific models can be segmented from various imaging modalities, which may influence the geometric output and thus hemodynamic results. This study aims to compare CFD results from aneurysm models segmented from three-dimensional rotational angiography (3D-RA) versus novel four-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA).MethodsFourteen patients with 16 cerebral aneurysms underwent novel 4D-CTA followed by 3D-RA. Endoluminal geometries were segmented from each modality using an identical workflow, blinded to the other modality, to produce 28 'original' models. Each was then minimally edited a second time to match length of branches, producing 28 additional 'matched' models. CFD simulations were performed using estimated flow rates for 'original' models (representing real-world experience) and patient-specific flow rates from 4D-CTA for 'matched' models (to control for influence of modality alone).ResultsOverall, geometric and hemodynamic results were consistent between models segmented from 3D-RA and 4D-CTA, with correlations improving after matching to control for operator-introduced variability. Despite smaller 4D-CTA parent artery diameters (3.49±0.97 mm vs 3.78±0.92 mm for 3D-RA; p=0.005) and sac volumes (157 (37–750 mm3) vs 173 (53–770 mm3) for 3D-RA; p=0.0002), sac averages of time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillatory shear (OSI), and high frequency fluctuations (measured by spectral power index, SPI) were well correlated between 3D-RA and 4D-CTA 'matched' control models (TAWSS, R2=0.91; OSI, R2=0.79; SPI, R2=0.90).ConclusionsOur study shows that CFD performed using 4D-CTA models produces reliable geometric and hemodynamic information in the intracranial circulation. 4D-CTA may be considered as a follow-up imaging tool for hemodynamic assessment of cerebral aneurysms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Kalinina ◽  
A Zagatina ◽  
N Zhuravskaya ◽  
D Shmatov

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background There is a high prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the elderly population. However, symptoms of CAD are often non-specific. Dyspnoe, non-anginal pains are among the main symptoms in older patients. Exercise tests are of limited feasibility in these patients, due to neuro-muscular weakness, physical deconditioning, and orthopaedic limitations. Pharmacological tests often are contraindicated in a substantial percentage of elderly patients. Some recent studies indicate using local flow acceleration during routine echocardiography has prognostic potential for coronary artery assessments without stress testing. The aim of the study was to define the prognostic value of coronary artery ultrasound assessment in patients ≥75 years old. Methods This is a prospective cohort study. Patients ≥ 75 years old who underwent routine echocardiography with additional scans for coronary arteries over a period of 24 months were included in the study. The study group consisted of 80 patients aged 75-90 years (56 women; mean age 79 ± 4). Initial exams were performed for other reasons, primarily for arterial hypertension. Fifteen patients had known CAD. Death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and revascularization were defined as major adverse cardiac events (MACE). All patients were followed up with at a median of 32 months. Results There were 34 patients with high local velocities in the left coronary artery. Eight deaths, two non-fatal myocardial infarctions occurred, and 13 revascularizations were performed. With a ROC analysis, a coronary flow velocity &gt;110 cm/s was the best predictor for risk of death (area under curve 0.84 [95% CI 0.74–0.92]; sensitivity 75%; specificity 88%). Only the maximal velocity in proximal left-sided coronary arteries was independently associated with death (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01; 1.05; p &lt; 0.002), or death/MI (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01; 1.04; p &lt; 0.0001). The cut-off value of 66 cm/s was a predictor of all MACE (area under curve 0.87 [95% CI 0.77–0.94]; sensitivity 80%; specificity 86%). Any causes of death or MI occurred more frequently in patients with velocities of &gt;66 cm/s (27% vs. 2%; p &lt; 0.002). The rates of MACE were 58.0% vs. 2%; p &lt; 0.0000001, respectively. Conclusion The analysis of coronary flow in the left coronary artery during echocardiography can be used as a predictor of outcomes in elderly patients. Maximal velocities in proximal left-sided coronary arteries is independently associated with further death or myocardial infarction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Blanke ◽  
Markus Hagenkamp ◽  
Bernd Döring ◽  
Joachim Göttsche ◽  
Vitali Reger ◽  
...  

AbstractPrevious studies optimized the dimensions of coaxial heat exchangers using constant mass flow rates as a boundary condition. They show a thermal optimal circular ring width of nearly zero. Hydraulically optimal is an inner to outer pipe radius ratio of 0.65 for turbulent and 0.68 for laminar flow types. In contrast, in this study, flow conditions in the circular ring are kept constant (a set of fixed Reynolds numbers) during optimization. This approach ensures fixed flow conditions and prevents inappropriately high or low mass flow rates. The optimization is carried out for three objectives: Maximum energy gain, minimum hydraulic effort and eventually optimum net-exergy balance. The optimization changes the inner pipe radius and mass flow rate but not the Reynolds number of the circular ring. The thermal calculations base on Hellström’s borehole resistance and the hydraulic optimization on individually calculated linear loss of head coefficients. Increasing the inner pipe radius results in decreased hydraulic losses in the inner pipe but increased losses in the circular ring. The net-exergy difference is a key performance indicator and combines thermal and hydraulic calculations. It is the difference between thermal exergy flux and hydraulic effort. The Reynolds number in the circular ring is instead of the mass flow rate constant during all optimizations. The result from a thermal perspective is an optimal width of the circular ring of nearly zero. The hydraulically optimal inner pipe radius is 54% of the outer pipe radius for laminar flow and 60% for turbulent flow scenarios. Net-exergetic optimization shows a predominant influence of hydraulic losses, especially for small temperature gains. The exact result depends on the earth’s thermal properties and the flow type. Conclusively, coaxial geothermal probes’ design should focus on the hydraulic optimum and take the thermal optimum as a secondary criterion due to the dominating hydraulics.


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