Modeling Left Ventricle Perfusion in Healthy and Stenotic Conditions

Area of Science:

• Fluid mechanics
• Cardiovascular physiology
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Myocardial perfusion is crucial for heart function, and its impairment is linked to common cardiac diseases.
• Understanding the hemodynamic mechanisms of healthy and stenotic myocardial perfusion is essential for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a theoretical fluid mechanical model for investigating myocardial perfusion in both healthy and stenotic conditions.
• To simulate the diastolic-systolic phases of the heart using Terzaghi's consolidation theory.
• To provide a mathematical basis for estimating coronary stenosis parameters.

Main Methods:

• A theoretical fluid mechanical model based on Terzaghi's consolidation theory.
• Reformulation of unsteady flow equations to simulate swelling-drainage alternations.
• Comparison of analytical solutions with experimental in vivo observations of left ventricle transmural perfusion ratio (T.P.R.).

Main Results:

• The model accurately reproduces basic mechanisms of healthy and ischemic myocardial perfusion.
• Analytical solutions for time-dependent blood pressure and flow rate align with in vivo observations.
• The model demonstrates consistency in simulating transmural perfusion ratio (T.P.R.).

Conclusions:

• The proposed model offers valuable insights into hemodynamic mechanisms underlying cardiac diseases.
• It can serve as a basis for inverse methods to estimate stenosis location and severity.
• The model may inspire non-invasive myocardial imaging techniques for assessing perfusion.