Numerical analysis of contrast agent concentration in a tissue homogeneity model using computational fluid dynamics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Pharmacokinetics

Background:

• Transcapillary exchange is crucial for drug delivery and diagnostic imaging.
• Accurate modeling of contrast agent (CA) behavior in tissues is essential.
• Existing models may not fully capture the complexities of CA dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method for numerical analysis of transcapillary exchange.
• To model contrast agent (CA) transport within a tissue homogeneity (TH) model.
• To compare CFD results with analytical solutions for validation.

Main Methods:

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was employed for numerical analysis.
• A tissue homogeneity (TH) model comprising intravascular space (IVS) and extravascular space (EVS) was utilized.
• CFD results were validated against analytical solutions derived using Laplace transforms.

Main Results:

• The CFD method showed good agreement with analytical solutions when capillary diffusion was included.
• Simulations provided time-dependent concentrations of CA in both IVS and EVS (C(i)(t) and C(e)(t)).
• The method was applied to various parameters, including permeability-surface area products (PS) and blood flow.

Conclusions:

• The developed CFD method is a valuable tool for analyzing CA in TH models.
• This approach contributes to a better understanding of transcapillary exchange mechanisms.
• The method can be extended to study varying PS and diffusion effects.