title: Effects of CT resolution and radiodensity threshold on the CFD evaluation of nasal airflow.
abstract: The article focuses on the robustness of a CFD-based procedure for the quantitative evaluation of the nasal airflow. CFD ability to yield robust results with respect to the unavoidable procedural and modeling inaccuracies must be demonstrated to allow this tool to become part of the clinical practice in this field. The present article specifically addresses the sensitivity of the CFD procedure to the spatial resolution of the available CT scans, as well as to the choice of the segmentation level of the CT images. We found no critical problems concerning these issues; nevertheless, the choice of the segmentation level is potentially delicate if carried out by an untrained operator.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Science and Technologies, Politecnico Milano, Via La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy. maurizio.quadrio@polimi.it.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quadrio
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Head and Neck Department, San Paolo Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pipolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Science and Technologies, Politecnico Milano, Via La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Head and Neck Department, San Paolo Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Science and Technologies, Politecnico Milano, Via La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pesci
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Head and Neck Department, San Paolo Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Saibene
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Science and Technologies, Politecnico Milano, Via La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Samuele
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zampini
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Head and Neck Department, San Paolo Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Felisati
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D009666:Nose / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Computer simulation; Fluid dynamics; Nasal cavities