title: The influence of the aortic valve angle on the hemodynamic features of the thoracic aorta.
abstract: Since the first observation of a helical flow pattern in aortic blood flow, the existence of helical blood flow has been found to be associated with various pathological conditions such as bicuspid aortic valve, aortic stenosis, and aortic dilatation. However, an understanding of the development of helical blood flow and its clinical implications are still lacking. In our present study, we hypothesized that the direction and angle of aortic inflow can influence helical flow patterns and related hemodynamic features in the thoracic aorta. Therefore, we investigated the hemodynamic features in the thoracic aorta and various aortic inflow angles using patient-specific vascular phantoms that were generated using a 3D printer and time-resolved, 3D, phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI). The results show that the rotational direction and strength of helical blood flow in the thoracic aorta largely vary according to the inflow direction of the aorta, and a higher helical velocity results in higher wall shear stress distributions. In addition, right-handed rotational flow conditions with higher rotational velocities imply a larger total kinetic energy than left-handed rotational flow conditions with lower rotational velocities.
authors: POSTECH Biotech Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyoja-dong, Pohang 790-784, South Korea.
authors: Hojin
authors: H
authors: Ha
authors: Asan Institute of Life Science, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea.
authors: Guk Bae
authors: GB
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Cardiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea.
authors: Jihoon
authors: J
authors: Kweon
authors: POSTECH Biotech Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyoja-dong, Pohang 790-784, South Korea.|Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), San 31, Hyoja-dong, Pohang 790-784, South Korea.
authors: Sang Joon
authors: SJ
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Cardiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea.
authors: Young-Hak
authors: YH
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea.|Department of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea.
authors: Namkug
authors: N
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, South Korea.
authors: Dong Hyun
authors: DH
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D000082882:Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D013314:Stress, Mechanical