Blood flow in intracranial aneurysms treated with Pipeline embolization devices: computational simulation and verification with Doppler ultrasonography on phantom models.
- Author:
Anderson Chun On TSANG
1
;
Simon Sui Man LAI
;
Wai Choi CHUNG
;
Abraham Yik Sau TANG
;
Gilberto Ka Kit LEUNG
;
Alexander Kai Kei POON
;
Alfred Cheuk Hang YU
;
Kwok Wing CHOW
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Intracranial aneurysm; Endovascular procedures; Flow diverter; Printing, three-dimensional; Ultrasonography
- MeSH: Aneurysm; Angiography; Computer Simulation; Endovascular Procedures; Hydrodynamics; Intracranial Aneurysm*; Stents; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, Doppler*; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
- From: Ultrasonography 2015;34(2):98-108
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of flow-diverter treatment through Doppler ultrasonography measurements in patient-specific models of intracranial bifurcation and side-wall aneurysms. METHODS: Computational and physical models of patient-specific bifurcation and sidewall aneurysms were constructed from computed tomography angiography with use of stereolithography, a three-dimensional printing technology. Flow dynamics parameters before and after flow-diverter treatment were measured with pulse-wave and color Doppler ultrasonography, and then compared with CFD simulations. RESULTS: CFD simulations showed drastic flow reduction after flow-diverter treatment in both aneurysms. The mean volume flow rate decreased by 90% and 85% for the bifurcation aneurysm and the side-wall aneurysm, respectively. Velocity contour plots from computer simulations before and after flow diversion closely resembled the patterns obtained by color Doppler ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: The CFD estimation of flow reduction in aneurysms treated with a flow-diverting stent was verified by Doppler ultrasonography in patient-specific phantom models of bifurcation and side-wall aneurysms. The combination of CFD and ultrasonography may constitute a feasible and reliable technique in studying the treatment of intracranial aneurysms with flow-diverting stents.
