title: Parameterization of the shape of intracranial saccular aneurysms using Legendre polynomials.
abstract: Our recent studies of the nonlinear mechanics of saccular aneurysms suggest that it is unlikely that these lesions enlarge or rupture via material (limit point) or dynamic (resonance) instabilities. Rather, there is a growing body of evidence from both vascular biology and biomechanical analyses that implicate mechanosensitive growth and remodeling processes. There is, therefore, a pressing need to quantify regional multiaxial wall stresses which, because of the membrane-like behavior of many aneurysms, necessitates better information on the applied loads and regional surface curvatures. Herein, we present and illustrate a method whereby regional curvatures can be estimated easily for sub-classes of human aneurysms based on clinically available data from magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Whereas Legendre polynomials are used to illustrate this approach, different functions may prove useful for different sub-classes of lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 337 Zachry Engineering Center, 3120 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-3120, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banatwala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feinberg
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Humphrey
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D013314:Stress, Mechanical