Characterization of arterial flow mediated dilation via a physics-based model

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Computational Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• The Flow Mediated Dilation (FMD) test is crucial for assessing cardiovascular health.
• Existing models often fail to capture the complex mechanotransduction in arterial walls.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a physics-based mathematical model for brachial artery transient behavior during FMD.
• To accurately describe the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) and mechanotransduction processes.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel theoretical model incorporating wall shear stress (WSS)-dependent compliance.
• Collected in vivo ultrasound imaging data from 7 cases.
• Analyzed the two-way FSI between blood flow and arterial wall dynamics.

Main Results:

• The model precisely captures the mechanotransduction process, outperforming conventional viscoelastic models.
• Identified three characteristic dimensionless parameters quantifying arterial physical state.
• Demonstrated the model's ability to describe transient brachial artery behavior.

Conclusions:

• The developed model provides a deeper understanding of arterial wall mechanics.
• The identified parameters correlate with cardiovascular health.
• This approach offers potential for early detection of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).