Angiographic Flow Quantification via CFD Interpolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current angiographic methods for representing flow properties of vessels, especially in interventional procedures, face challenges with low temporal resolution and complex vascular geometries, particularly in 4-D DSA methods which struggle to accurately quantify blood flow with high precision due to superimposition effects.
Innovation Solution
Combining model-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) interpolation with measurement-based 4-D DSA data sets, using patient-specific image material to generate high-temporal resolution 3-D data sets by simulating contrast-medium transport and solving inverse problems iteratively to optimize degrees of freedom, thereby enhancing the accuracy of blood flow quantification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If 4-D DSA methods are used to quantify blood flow in 3-D, then spatial information is improved, but temporal resolution deteriorates due to superimposition effects in complex vascular geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model as an intermediary between the measured 4-D DSA data and the final blood flow quantification. The CFD simulation acts as a mediator that processes the sparse temporal measurements and generates high-temporal-resolution 3-D flow data by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with patient-specific boundary conditions derived from the DSA sequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the problem by changing the parameter space - instead of directly measuring flow at high temporal resolution in 3-D, it measures contrast medium concentration at lower temporal resolution and uses CFD simulations to compute flow parameters (velocity, pressure, flow rate) from these concentration fields, thereby achieving high temporal resolution flow quantification indirectly.
2Measurement precision
If model-based CFD interpolation is combined with measurement-based 4-D DSA data, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two different approaches - model-based CFD interpolation and measurement-based 4-D DSA data - into a unified hybrid system. The measured DSA data provides patient-specific boundary conditions and validation for the CFD model, while the CFD simulation provides the computational framework for high-temporal-resolution flow analysis, creating a synergistic system that leverages the strengths of both methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by first acquiring the 4-D DSA sequences and reconstructing the patient-specific vascular geometry and boundary conditions before running the CFD simulations. This preliminary data preparation and model setup enables the subsequent high-temporal-resolution flow quantification without requiring complex real-time measurements during the actual flow analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
An angiographic examination method for the representation of flow properties of vessels of an object under examination is presented. To determine blood-flow parameters in 3-D with high temporal resolution, at least one 4-D DSA sequence is acquired for the generation of measurement-based 4-D DSA data sets. A model-based method determines time-dependent volume data sets, which, in terms of time, lie between the time-dependent volume data sets of the measurement-based 4-D DSA method.