title: Computational hemodynamics in the human aorta: a computational fluid dynamics study of three cases with patient-specific geometries and inflow rates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the potential role of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in therapeutic decision making for treatment of vascular pathologies of the human aorta.
  
  
  METHODS
  CFD simulations with patient specific geometries and patient-specific inflow boundary conditions obtained with magnetic resonance imaging were performed in three cases: 1) mobile thrombus in the aortic arch in a patient with ischemic stroke 2) acute type II B aortic dissection 3) abdominal aortic aneurysm repaired with an endoluminal graft. Blood flow pathlines, wall shear stresses (WSS), dynamic pressures, blood velocities and flow particle resident times were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aortic thrombus was indicated as possible source of emboli by flowlines and elevated WSS (8% higher than average WSS at aortic wall) in case 1. This was not identified on conventional imaging. In case 2, the false lumen of the dissection showed elevated pressures and high blood velocities at systole but low pressures and stagnant flow at other times (blood velocity < 0.02 m/s and WSS < 0.1 Pa). Flow disturbances at the reentrance zone of blood from the false lumen were recognized. For case 3, elevated WSS at the landing zone of the endoluminal graft and at the right iliac section together with disturbed flow patterns and increased flow particle resident times were noted. Focal stenoses coincided with the flow disturbances. Measured velocity patterns were qualitatively in agreement with velocity patterns calculated with CFD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CFD simulations provide additional information of the hemodynamics in the diseased human aorta and may have potential in aiding the therapeutic decision making process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston TX 77030, USA. ckarmonik@tmhs.org
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karmonik
authors.forename: Jean X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Bismuth
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lumsden
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D019295:Computational Biology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*