Experimental Validation of a Computational Algorithm for the Zero Pressure Geometry Derivation of Blood Vessels

Patient-specific computational assessment of biomechanical parameters such as peak wall stress is a promising tool for rupture risk assessment of blood vessels. However, this assessment is dependent on image based modeling of the vasculature [1] and on either structural or fluid-structure interaction analyses performed with numerical models to compute the stress and strain in the vascular wall. Protocols have been successfully derived to develop 3D models of normal and pathological vessels from individual Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) [2]. While the image based models used for these simulations are essentially in a pressurized state (gated to diastolic pressure), the application of physiologic systolic and diastolic pressures to compute stresses and strains is debatable. Therefore, the derivation of a “simulation ready” computational geometry is of great importance to the research community as the accuracy of the computational results is dependent on it.