Simulation of intra-aneurysmal blood flow by different numerical methods

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Simulation
• Computational Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• The effectiveness of endoluminal stenting for intracranial aneurysms remains debated.
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to investigate blood flow dynamics.
• Simulation outcomes are sensitive to numerical methods and parameter choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define parameters and efficiently explore the parameter space for intracranial aneurysm stenting simulations.
• To identify the impact of different parameters on CFD results and evaluate method advantages/disadvantages.
• To improve the understanding of blood flow and factors influencing stenting outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized finite element methods (FEM) and lattice Boltzmann methods (LBM) for parameter exploration.
• Applied CFD to analyze blood flow and vorticity in 2D and 3D intracranial aneurysm models.
• Employed simplified 2D/3D models based on real geometries and expert knowledge for initial assessments.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that parameter choices significantly influence CFD simulation outcomes for intracranial aneurysms.
• Showcased the distinct advantages of LBM for rapid parameter space exploration.
• Highlighted the value of FEM for detailed, in-depth analysis of specific parameters.

Conclusions:

• A combined approach using LBM for broad exploration and FEM for detailed analysis offers a superior understanding of blood flow.
• This hybrid numerical strategy can yield more accurate insights into factors affecting intracranial aneurysm stenting.
• Optimized parameter definition through combined methods can lead to improved clinical decision-making for stenting procedures.