Investigation of hemodynamic bulk flow patterns caused by aortic stenosis using a combined 4D Flow MRI-CFD framework

Aortic stenosis (AS) leads to alterations of supra-valvular flow patterns which can cause increased damage of red blood cell (RBC) membranes. We investigated these patient specific patterns of a severe AS patient and their reversal in healthy flow through a 4D Flow MRI-based CFD methodology. Computational models of subject-specific aortic geometries were created using in-vivo medical imaging data. Temporally and spatially resolved boundary conditions derived from 4D Flow MRI were implemented for an AS patient and a healthy subject. After validation of the in-silico results with in-vivo data, a healthy inflow profile was set for the AS patient in the CFD model. Pathological versus healthy flow fields were compared regarding their blood flow characteristics, i.e., shear stresses on RBCs and helicity. The accuracy of the 4D Flow MRI-based CFD model was proven with excellent agreement between in-vivo and in-silico velocity fields and R² = 0.9. A pathological high shear stress region in the bulk flow was present during late systole with an increase of 125% compared to both healthy flow. The physiological bihelical structure with predominantly right-handed helices vanished for the pathological state. Instead, a left-handed helix appeared, accompanied by an overall increase in turbulent kinetic energy in areas of accumulated left-handed helicity. The validated 4D Flow MRI-based CFD model identified marked differences between AS and healthy flow. It suggests that altered turbulent and helical structures in the bulk flow are the cause for increased, potentially damaging forces acting upon RBCs in AS.