title: Simulating Cardiac Electrophysiology Using Unstructured All-Hexahedra Spectral Elements.
abstract: We discuss the application of the spectral element method to the monodomain and bidomain equations describing propagation of cardiac action potential. Models of cardiac electrophysiology consist of a system of partial differential equations coupled with a system of ordinary differential equations representing cell membrane dynamics. The solution of these equations requires solving multiple length scales due to the ratio of advection to diffusion that varies among the different equations. High order approximation of spectral elements provides greater flexibility in resolving multiple length scales. Furthermore, spectral elements are extremely efficient to model propagation phenomena on complex shapes using fewer degrees of freedom than its finite element equivalent (for the same level of accuracy). We illustrate a fully unstructured all-hexahedra approach implementation of the method and we apply it to the solution of full 3D monodomain and bidomain test cases. We discuss some key elements of the proposed approach on some selected benchmarks and on an anatomically based whole heart human computational model.
authors.affiliation: CRS4, Loc. Pixina Manna, Edificio 1, 09010 Pula, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianmauro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cuccuru
authors.affiliation: CRS4, Loc. Pixina Manna, Edificio 1, 09010 Pula, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fotia
authors.affiliation: CRS4, Loc. Pixina Manna, Edificio 1, 09010 Pula, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maggio
authors.affiliation: Fujitsu Laboratories of Europe, Hayes Park Central, Hayes End Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 8FE, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Southern
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular