Validation of a CT method for flow determination. Work in progress.
The dynamic computed tomographic (DCT) method of flow determination is based on the application of venoarterial indicator dilution curves as they reflect flow. Using a simple model consisting of a tube and a single mixing chamber, experimental parameters were optimized in a controlled manner to achieve ideal mixing for flow determination. Under these ideal conditions, and using 16 consecutive 3-second scans of an 8-mm thick section, tube diameters of 8 mm and 20 mm, and flow range of 0.7-2.7 liters per minute, the accuracy of the CT method of flow determination was good (17% error). There was a correlation coefficient of 0.85 between measured flow (FM) and calculated flow (FC), and the paired t-test for FM and FC indicated that there was no statistically significant difference (P = .25). The DCT method of flow determination has been validated in this experiment preliminary to its application to flow characterization in blood vessels in the animal model.
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D012212:Rheology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*