Logo image
Modeling of coarctation of aorta in human fetuses using 3D/4D fetal echocardiography and computational fluid dynamics
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Modeling of coarctation of aorta in human fetuses using 3D/4D fetal echocardiography and computational fluid dynamics

Zhuo Chen, Yue Zhou, Jingying Wang, Xiaowei Liu, Shuping Ge and Yihua He
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.), v 34(12), pp 1858-1866
01 Dec 2017
PMID: 28833523

Abstract

Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems Cardiovascular System & Cardiology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology
ObjectivesWe sought to develop a hemodynamic model of aortic and ductal arches using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and 3D/4D spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC) fetal echocardiography and to investigate the hemodynamics of coarctation of aorta (CoA) in human fetuses using this approach. MethodsWe obtained 3D/4D STIC fetal echocardiographic images of the aortic and ductal arches (DA) in five normal fetuses. Based on these images, we simulated the hemodynamics in the two arches using CFD. Subsequently, we reduced the dimensions of aortic isthmus from 100% to 85%, 70%, 55%, 40%, and 25% of the original dimension digitally. Numerical simulation was repeated in each condition, and flow profile, velocity, pressure, and wall shear stress (WSS) were compared with those of the baseline normal aortic and ductal arches. ResultsWith the progressive narrowing in the aortic isthmus, there were alterations in the flow profile, velocity, pressure, and WSS. The downstream vortexes disappeared, and the double helix profile became single helix. When the aortic isthmus reduced by 55% in dimension, there was an exponential increase in velocity and WSS and decrease in pressure. ConclusionsThe aortic and ductal arch geometry and flow lead to the alterations in flow profile, velocity, pressure, and WSS in the aortic isthmus in normal and CoA models, which are conductive of ductal issue migration into these areas. A 55% reduction in the dimension of aortic isthmus is associated with exponential change in velocity, pressure, and WSS, a probable threshold for hemodynamically significant CoA.

Metrics

10 Record Views
26 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Logo image