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A novel 0D-1D-3D multi-scale blood flow model: Application to atherosclerotic plaque hemodynamics
Dongrui Wang1, Hongxun Chen1, Zheng Ma2
1Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, China.
Insights
A new multi-scale model accurately simulates blood flow, aiding in early atherosclerosis diagnosis. This tool identifies plaque features using hemodynamic frequency-domain analysis for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Atherosclerosis (AS) poses a significant health risk, yet early diagnosis is hindered by a lack of effective research tools.
- Understanding pathological blood flow characteristics is crucial for developing diagnostic strategies.
- Current hemodynamic models require improvement for comprehensive AS identification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance hemodynamic models for exploring universal pathological flow features in plaques.
- To establish a foundation for a hemodynamics-based strategy for atherosclerosis identification.
- To analyze the influence of plaque geometry on systemic hemodynamics.
Main Methods:
- A novel 0D-1D-3D coupled multi-scale model was developed.
- Frequency-domain analytical solutions and time-domain fluid-structure interaction were employed.
- Parametric plaque modeling based on medical imaging data was utilized.
Main Results:
- The model achieved a 55% improvement in computational efficiency compared to full 3D simulations.
- Frequency-domain analysis of harmonic pressure amplitudes and phases can identify plaque geometry.
- Blood flow sensitivity analysis revealed plaque's vertical radial radius as the most influential parameter.
Conclusions:
- The proposed model accurately simulates arterial blood flow.
- It offers novel insights for identifying arterial stenosis severity and geometry using hemodynamic frequency-domain features.
- This approach provides a foundation for hemodynamics-based atherosclerosis diagnosis.
Objective:
Atherosclerosis (AS) poses a significant threat to human health. Its early and efficient diagnosis is still limited by the lack of research tools, which has led to an unclear understanding of pathological blood flow characteristics. This study aims to further improve the hemodynamic models for exploring the universal pathological flow features of plaques, and to lay the foundation for a hemodynamics-based strategy for AS identification.
Methods:
A novel 0D-1D-3D coupled multi-scale model is proposed. Employing a 0D three-element Windkessel model as the distal boundary condition, it obtains an analytical solution for the major arteries in the frequency-domain. Based on a fluid-structure interaction approach, the detailed 3D local blood flow in key arterial regions is captured in the time-domain. Within the algorithm framework of time-frequency iterative solution, a physiologically consistent coupling between the 1D and 3D models is achieved. Based on medical imaging data, the plaque is modeled parametrically. As a case study, the multi-scale model is used to compare the influence of various plaque geometrical parameters on systemic hemodynamics from a frequency-domain perspective, and to analyze their corresponding flow patterns.
Results:
Compared to full 3D results for the abdominal aortic bifurcation case, the proposed model improves computational efficiency by 55%, with maximum pressure and flowrate root-mean-square errors of 1.47% and 2.95%, respectively. In the presence of arterial stenosis, monitoring the 5th to 8th harmonic pressure amplitudes and 4th to 6th harmonic phases in the frequency-domain has the potential to identify plaque geometrical features. Blood flow exhibits the strongest sensitivity to the vertical radial radius of the plaque and the weakest sensitivity to its length.
Conclusion:
The proposed model can accurately and effectively simulate blood flow in the arterial system, and offer a novel insight for the identification strategy, regarding the severity and basic geometry of arterial stenosis based on hemodynamic frequency-domain features.
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