Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of nominally patient-specific cerebral aneurysms is increasingly being used as a research tool to further understand the development, prognosis, and treatment of brain aneurysms. We have previously developed virtual angiography to indirectly validate CFD-predicted gross flow dynamics against the routinely acquired digital subtraction angiograms. Toward a more direct validation, here we compare detailed, CFD-predicted velocity fields against those measured using particle imaging velocimetry (PIV). Two anatomically realistic flow-through phantoms, one a giant internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm and the other a basilar artery (BA) tip aneurysm, were constructed of a clear silicone elastomer. The phantoms were placed within a computer-controlled flow loop, programed with representative flow rate waveforms. PIV images were collected on several anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral (LAT) planes. CFD simulations were then carried out using a well-validated, in-house solver, based on micro-CT reconstructions of the geometries of the flow-through phantoms and inlet/outlet boundary conditions derived from flow rates measured during the PIV experiments. PIV and CFD results from the central AP plane of the ICA aneurysm showed a large stable vortex throughout the cardiac cycle. Complex vortex dynamics, captured by PIV and CFD, persisted throughout the cardiac cycle on the central LAT plane. Velocity vector fields showed good overall agreement. For the BA, aneurysm agreement was more compelling, with both PIV and CFD similarly resolving the dynamics of counter-rotating vortices on both AP and LAT planes. Despite the imposition of periodic flow boundary conditions for the CFD simulations, cycle-to-cycle fluctuations were evident in the BA aneurysm simulations, which agreed well, in terms of both amplitudes and spatial distributions, with cycle-to-cycle fluctuations measured by PIV in the same geometry. The overall good agreement between PIV and CFD suggests that CFD can reliably predict the details of the intra-aneurysmal flow dynamics observed in anatomically realistic in vitro models. Nevertheless, given the various modeling assumptions, this does not prove that they are mimicking the actual in vivo hemodynamics, and so validations against in vivo data are encouraged whenever possible.
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April 2008
Research Papers
PIV-Measured Versus CFD-Predicted Flow Dynamics in Anatomically Realistic Cerebral Aneurysm Models
Matthew D. Ford,
Matthew D. Ford
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5C1; Biomedical Simulation Laboratory, University of Toronto
, Toronto, Canada M5S 3G8
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Hristo N. Nikolov,
Hristo N. Nikolov
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8
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Jaques S. Milner,
Jaques S. Milner
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8
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Stephen P. Lownie,
Stephen P. Lownie
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5A5
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Edwin M. DeMont,
Edwin M. DeMont
Department of Biology,
Saint Francis Xavier University
, Antigonish, Canada B2G 2W5
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Wojciech Kalata,
Wojciech Kalata
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Illinois at Chicago
, Chicago, IL 60607
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Francis Loth,
Francis Loth
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Illinois at Chicago
, Chicago, IL 60607
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David W. Holdsworth,
David W. Holdsworth
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5C1
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David A. Steinman
David A. Steinman
Imaging Research Laboratories,
e-mail: steinman@mie.utoronto.ca
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5C1; Biomedical Simulation Laboratory, University of Toronto
, Toronto, Canada M5S 3G8
Search for other works by this author on:
Matthew D. Ford
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5C1; Biomedical Simulation Laboratory, University of Toronto
, Toronto, Canada M5S 3G8
Hristo N. Nikolov
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8
Jaques S. Milner
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8
Stephen P. Lownie
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5A5
Edwin M. DeMont
Department of Biology,
Saint Francis Xavier University
, Antigonish, Canada B2G 2W5
Wojciech Kalata
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Illinois at Chicago
, Chicago, IL 60607
Francis Loth
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Illinois at Chicago
, Chicago, IL 60607
David W. Holdsworth
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5C1
David A. Steinman
Imaging Research Laboratories,
Robarts Research Institute
, London, Canada N6A 5K8; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario
, London, Canada N6A 5C1; Biomedical Simulation Laboratory, University of Toronto
, Toronto, Canada M5S 3G8e-mail: steinman@mie.utoronto.ca
J Biomech Eng. Apr 2008, 130(2): 021015 (9 pages)
Published Online: April 3, 2008
Article history
Received:
November 13, 2006
Revised:
June 28, 2007
Published:
April 3, 2008
Citation
Ford, M. D., Nikolov, H. N., Milner, J. S., Lownie, S. P., DeMont, E. M., Kalata, W., Loth, F., Holdsworth, D. W., and Steinman, D. A. (April 3, 2008). "PIV-Measured Versus CFD-Predicted Flow Dynamics in Anatomically Realistic Cerebral Aneurysm Models." ASME. J Biomech Eng. April 2008; 130(2): 021015. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2900724
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