[Flow simulation of normal pulmonary artery branches based on multiple detectors computed tomography].
OBJECTIVE
To simulate the flow condition in the main pulmonary artery and the branches of left and right pulmonary arteries by combining the images from CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) by multiple detectors computed tomography (MDCT) and the flow condition data from ultrasonic cardiography.


METHODS
The normal enhanced chest CTPA images with ECG-gating from 25 persons undergoing physical examination, 21 males and 4 females, aged 39, underwent thin-slice multiple plane reconstruction in diastolic and systolic periods respectively. These images were stored in the InSpace software. On the base of coordinates GAMBIT software was used to generate the nodes and meshes. FLUENT software was used to simulate the blood flow speed and pressure field distribution.


RESULTS
The pressure levels of the main pulmonary artery and the branches of left and right pulmonary arteries were higher during the systolic period. The blood flow velocity was faster during the systolic period too. The right lower lobe artery endured the most significant pressure during both systolic and diastolic periods. However, there were not significant differences in pressure and blood flow velocity between the systolic and diastolic periods in the segmental arteries.


CONCLUSIONS
The right lower lobe artery is the first part to be affected when the pulmonary pressure rises. It is feasible to study the changes of the flow condition in the branches of pulmonary artery through combining CTPA images and relevant softwares.
Wang
Li-Hua
LH
Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China.
Zhang
Wen-Pu
WP
Jiang
Wei-Xiang
WX
Qian
Yu-E
YE
Guo
You-Min
YM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography