Towards constructing a generalized structural 3D breathing human lung model based on experimental volumes, pressures,...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Biology
• Respiratory Physiology

Background:

• Respiratory diseases pose a significant global health challenge, underscoring the need for advanced research tools.
• Biophysical models offer potential for understanding physiological functions, but pulmonary mechanics models are still developing.
• Existing models often lack comprehensive validation against experimental data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a generalizable, structurally representative 3D computational model of the human lung.
• To validate the model using organ- and tissue-level breathing experiments from a human cadaveric lung.
• To create a framework for studying respiratory diseases and evaluating medical interventions.

Main Methods:

• An Inverse Finite Element Analysis (IFEA) pipeline was employed to construct the pulmonary model.
• A novel inflating apparatus and digital image correlation techniques were used for data acquisition.
• A poroelastic formulation represented lung tissues (parenchyma, pleura, airways), calibrated with pressure-volume and strain measurements.

Main Results:

• The computational framework was validated using pressure, volume, and strain data.
• Optimized shear moduli were determined for lung components: parenchyma (2.8 kPa), airways (0.2 kPa), and pleura (1.7 Pa).
• The model successfully reproduced the human lung's pressure-volume curve and strain distribution during inflation.

Conclusions:

• A complex, multi-material 3D lung model was successfully developed and validated using human data.
• This model represents a significant advancement for pulmonary mechanics research.
• The framework is generalizable to animal models (e.g., porcine, mouse, rat) for disease and therapeutic studies.