Reconstruction and validation of arterial geometries for computational fluid dynamics using multiple temporal frames of 4D flow-MRI magnitude Images

Black, Scott MacDonald and Maclean, Craig and Hall Barrientos, Pauline and Ritos, Konstantinos and Kazakidi, Asimina (2023) Reconstruction and validation of arterial geometries for computational fluid dynamics using multiple temporal frames of 4D flow-MRI magnitude Images. Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology, 14 (5). pp. 655-676. ISSN 1869-4098 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13239-023-00679-x)

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Abstract

Purpose Segmentation and reconstruction of arterial blood vessels is a fundamental step in the translation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to the clinical practice. Four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging (4D Flow-MRI) can provide detailed information of blood flow but processing this information to elucidate the underlying anatomical structures is challenging. In this study, we present a novel approach to create high-contrast anatomical images from retrospective 4D Flow-MRI data. Methods For healthy and clinical cases, the 3D instantaneous velocities at multiple cardiac time steps were superimposed directly onto the 4D Flow-MRI magnitude images and combined into a single composite frame. This new Composite Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Angiogram (CPC-MRA) resulted in enhanced and uniform contrast within the lumen. These images were subsequently segmented and reconstructed to generate 3D arterial models for CFD. Using the time-dependent, 3D incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, the transient aortic haemodynamics was computed within a rigid wall model of patient geometries. Results Validation of these models against the gold standard CT-based approach showed no statistically significant inter-modality difference regarding vessel radius or curvature (p > 0.05), and a similar Dice Similarity Coefficient and Hausdorff Distance. CFD-derived near-wall hemodynamics indicated a significant inter-modality difference (p > 0.05), though these absolute errors were small. When compared to the in vivo data, CFD-derived velocities were qualitatively similar. Conclusion This proof-of-concept study demonstrated that functional 4D Flow-MRI information can be utilized to retrospectively generate anatomical information for CFD models in the absence of standard imaging datasets and intravenous contrast.

ORCID iDs

Black, Scott MacDonald, Maclean, Craig, Hall Barrientos, Pauline, Ritos, Konstantinos ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6334-6680 and Kazakidi, Asimina ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7124-4123;
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