Ces radiol. 2023, 77(3):150-155 | DOI: 10.55095/CesRadiol2023/018

Use of the lattice Boltzmann method to model flow in the aortic bifurcation: comparison with 4D Flow MRIOriginal article

Radek Galabov¹, Jan Kovář², Pavel Eichler², Kateřina Škardová², Radomír Chabiniok³, Tomáš Oberhuber², Radek Fučík², Petr Pauš², Aleš Wodecki², Jiří Novotný¹, Jaroslav Tintěra¹

¹ Institut klinické a experimentální medicíny, Praha

² Fakulta jaderná a fyzikálně inženýrská, České vysoké učení technické, Praha

³ UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA

Aim: The aim of the article is to qualitatively assess the usability of amathematical flow model for visualizing the flow in aortic bifurcation treatedwith stents.

Methodology: Nine examinations of aortic bifurcations were conducted using a4D Flow sequence. Patients without stents, patients with a stent in one branch,and patients with stents in both branches of the aortic bifurcation wereexamined. 4D Flow data were used to prepare a visualization of the velocityfield. Flow simulations were performed based on the segmented bifurcation andmeasured flow data, including areas where flow measurements were affected byartifacts. Measured and simulated velocity fields were visually compared.

Results: For patients without stents, the simulated flow contributed toeliminating small inaccuracies in the measured field. In patients with stents,the simulated data were more consistent than the measured data and providedadditional insight into the situation within the stents.

Discussion: Simulated velocity fields must inherently adhere to the laws ofphysics, allowing for the correction of measured data in regions where measurements arecompromised. Depending on the accuracy of the segmentation, it may also offernew diagnostic information. However, the obtained results are solelyqualitative and will need quantitative validation.

Conclusion: The mathematical flow model can aid in quantitative assessment offlow in the vascular locations treated with stents where the direct MRmeasurement of blood flow fails.

Keywords: 4D Flow, lattice Boltzmann method, aortic bifurcation

Published: September 1, 2023  Show citation