Impact of Geometric Attributes on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Risk: An In Vivo FSI-Based Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is a life-threatening event.
• Current risk assessment primarily relies on maximum aneurysm diameter.
• Limitations exist in predicting rupture risk solely based on diameter.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of geometric characteristics on AAA rupture risk.
• To explore biomechanical factors beyond maximum diameter.
• To enhance the accuracy of AAA rupture risk prediction.

Main Methods:

• Utilized three-dimensional (3D) patient-specific AAA models.
• Performed comprehensive fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis.
• Employed finite element method to analyze wall shear stress (WSS) and related metrics (TAWSS, OSI, RRT, transWSS).

Main Results:

• Identified significant correlations between specific geometric indices and AAA biomechanical phenomena.
• Demonstrated that geometric factors profoundly impact AAA rupture risk prediction.
• Highlighted the limitations of relying solely on maximum diameter for risk assessment.

Conclusions:

• A multidimensional assessment approach incorporating geometry and biomechanics is necessary for accurate AAA risk prediction.
• Novel geometric indices offer improved insights into AAA rupture mechanisms.
• Future research should include experimental validation for clinical applicability.