Imaging and finite element analysis: a methodology for non-invasive characterization of aortic tissue

Characterization of the mechanical properties of arterial tissues usually involves an invasive procedure requiring tissue removal. In this work we propose a non-invasive method to perform a biomechanical analysis of cardiovascular aortic tissue. This method is based on combining medical imaging and finite element analysis (FEA). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was chosen since it presents relatively low risks for human health. A finite element model was created from the MRI images and loaded with systolic physiological pressures. By means of an optimization routine, the structural material properties were changed until average strains matched those measured by MRI. The method outlined in this work produced an estimate of the in situ properties of cardiovascular tissue based on non-invasive image datasets and finite element analysis.