Three-dimensional diastolic blood flow in the left ventricle

Three-dimensional blood flow in a human left ventricle is studied via a computational analysis with magnetic resonance imaging of the cardiac motion. Formation, growth and decay of vortices during the myocardial dilation are analyzed with flow patterns on various diametric planes. They are dominated by momentum transfer during flow acceleration and deceleration through the mitral orifice. The posterior and anterior vortices form an asymmetric annular vortex at the mitral orifice, providing a smooth transition for the rapid inflow to the ventricle. The development of core vortex accommodates momentum for deceleration and for acceleration at end diastolic atrial contraction. The rate of energy dissipation and that of work done by viscous stresses are small; they are approximately balanced with each other. The kinetic energy flux and the rate of work done by pressure delivered to blood from ventricular dilation is well balanced by the total energy influx at the mitral orifice and the rate change of kinetic energy in the ventricle.