Influence of aortic valve morphology on vortical structures and wall shear stress

The aim of this paper is to assess the association between valve morphology and vortical structures quantitatively and to highlight the influence of valve morphology/orientation on aorta's susceptibility to shear stress, both proximal and distal. Four-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (4D PCMRI) data of 6 subjects, 3 with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) and 3 with functionally bicuspid aortic values (BAV) with right-left coronary leaflet fusion, were processed and analyzed for vorticity and wall shear stress trends. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used with moving TAV and BAV valve designs in patient-specific aortae to compare with in vivo shear stress data. Vorticity from 4D PCMRI data about the aortic centerline demonstrated that TAVs had a higher number of vortical flow structures than BAVs at peak systole. Coalescing of flow structures was shown to be possible in the arch region of all subjects. Wall shear stress (WSS) distribution from CFD results at the aortic root is predominantly symmetric for TAVs but highly asymmetric for BAVs with the region opposite the raphe (fusion location of underdeveloped leaflets) being subjected to higher WSS. Asymmetry in the size and number of leaflets in BAVs and TAVs significantly influence vortical structures and WSS in the proximal aorta for all valve types and distal aorta for certain valve orientations of BAV. Analysis of vortical structures using 4D PCMRI data (on the left side) and wall shear stress data using CFD (on the right side).