Abstract
Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of mortality that occurs when an embolus becomes lodged in the cerebral vasculature and obstructs blood flow in the brain. The severity of AIS is determined by the location and how extensively emboli become lodged, which are dictated in large part by the cerebral flow and the dynamics of embolus migration which are difficult to measure in vivo in AIS patients. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to predict the patient-specific hemodynamics and embolus migration and lodging in the cerebral vasculature to better understand the underlying mechanics of AIS. To be relied upon, however, the computational simulations must be verified and validated. In this study, a realistic in vitro experimental model and a corresponding computational model of the cerebral vasculature are established that can be used to investigate flow and embolus migration and lodging in the brain. First, the in vitro anatomical model is described, including how the flow distribution in the model is tuned to match physiological measurements from the literature. Measurements of pressure and flow rate for both normal and stroke conditions were acquired and corresponding CFD simulations were performed and compared with the experiments to validate the flow predictions. Overall, the CFD simulations were in relatively close agreement with the experiments, to within ±7% of the mean experimental data with many of the CFD predictions within the uncertainty of the experimental measurement. This work provides an in vitro benchmark data set for flow in a realistic cerebrovascular model and is a first step towards validating a computational model of AIS.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
The revised version of manuscript has included an additional figure to justify the use of k-omega SST model for present analysis which has low to high Reynolds numbers. This version has also updated figures illustrating CFD results by providing anatomical names of outlets to better physiological understanding.
Nomenclature
- CCA
- Common carotid artery
- ICA
- Internal carotid artery
- ECA
- External carotid artery
- LECA
- Left external carotid artery
- RECA
- Right external carotid artery
- MCA
- Middle cerebral artery
- LMCA
- Left middle cerebral artery
- RMCA
- Right middle cerebral artery
- ACA
- Anterior cerebral artery
- LAA
- Left anterior artery
- RAA
- Right anterior artery
- LSA
- Left subclavian artery
- RSA
- Right subclavian artery