PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Catriona Stokes
AU  - Mirko Bonfanti
AU  - Zeyan Li
AU  - Jiang Xiong
AU  - Duanduan Chen
AU  - Stavroula Balabani
AU  - Vanessa Díaz-Zuccarini
TI  - A novel MRI-based data fusion methodology for efficient, personalised, compliant simulations of aortic haemodynamics
AID  - 10.1101/2021.05.15.444156
DP  - 2021 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2021.05.15.444156
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/05/17/2021.05.15.444156.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/05/17/2021.05.15.444156.full
AB  - We present a novel, cost-efficient methodology to simulate aortic haemo-dynamics in a patient-specific, compliant aorta using an MRI data fusion process. Based on a previously-developed Moving Boundary Method, this technique circumvents the high computational cost and numerous structural modelling assumptions required by traditional Fluid-Structure Interaction techniques. Without the need for Computed Tomography (CT) data, the MRI images required to construct the simulation can be obtained during a single imaging session. Black Blood MR Angiography and 2D Cine-MRI data were used to reconstruct the luminal geometry and calibrate wall movement specifically to each region of the aorta. 4D-Flow MRI and non-invasive pressure measurements informed patient-specific inlet and outlet boundary conditions. Simulated wall movement closely matched 2D Cine-MRI measurements throughout the aorta, and physiological pressure and flow distributions in CFD were achieved within 3.3% of patient-specific targets. Excellent agreement with 4D-Flow MRI velocity data was observed. Conversely, a rigid-wall simulation under-predicted peak flow rate and systolic maximum velocities whilst predicting a mean Time-Averaged Wall Shear Stress (TAWSS) 13% higher than the compliant simulation. The excellent agreement observed between compliant simulation results and MRI is testament to the accuracy and efficiency of this MRI-based technique.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.