Blood Flow Analysis Device with Automatic Boundary Condition Setting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current blood flow analysis methods using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) require manual entry of boundary conditions, which is time-consuming and costly, and lacks effectiveness due to reliance on standard values from volunteers, failing to account for individual variations and pulsatile flows in blood vessels.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that automatically set boundary conditions for blood flow analysis by obtaining vascular diameter and flow rate from medical images, considering user-inputted aging advancement, medical conditions, and heart rate to calculate individualized blood flow characteristics, using formulas like Q=(Tτ×π/32μ)d^3, and templates for wall surface shear stress and blood viscosity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual entry of boundary conditions is used, then boundary conditions can be set based on actual measurement values, but the process is time-consuming and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveboundary condition accuracyVSAvoidboundary condition setting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically extracts boundary conditions from medical images and physiological parameters without requiring manual input. The boundary condition setting apparatus self-services by acquiring vascular diameter from medical images, obtaining physiological parameters, and automatically calculating flow rates and blood flow characteristics patterns, eliminating the need for manual measurement and entry while maintaining accuracy based on actual patient data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical process of measuring and entering boundary conditions is replaced by an automated computational system. The apparatus substitutes human operators with computer-based image processing, parameter acquisition, and automatic calculation algorithms that extract vascular geometry from medical images and compute hemodynamic parameters automatically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If standard values from volunteers are used, then boundary conditions can be set quickly, but effectiveness is limited due to lack of individual variation consideration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveboundary condition setting efficiencyVSAvoidboundary condition applicability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from using uniform standard values applicable to all patients to generating localized, individualized boundary conditions specific to each patient's vascular geometry and physiological characteristics. The apparatus extracts vascular diameter from the patient's own medical images and calculates flow rates based on their specific anatomy, ensuring the boundary conditions are tailored to their unique vascular structure and disease state

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters from fixed standard values to dynamically calculated values based on individual patient data. By acquiring physiological parameters specific to each patient and calculating flow rates and blood flow characteristics patterns based on their vascular diameter and anatomical structure, the system adapts the boundary conditions to match each patient's unique hemodynamic profile

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If automatic setting is implemented without considering pulsatile flow characteristics, then the process is simplified, but accuracy is reduced due to inability to account for temporal fluctuations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveboundary condition setting complexityVSAvoidblood flow analysis accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates dynamic temporal fluctuations into the boundary conditions by calculating blood flow characteristics patterns that reflect pulsatile flow. The apparatus generates time-varying flow rate profiles that capture the cyclic nature of cardiac pulsation, allowing the CFD simulation to accurately represent the transient hemodynamic conditions rather than using static average values

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic boundary conditions that reflect the rhythmic nature of cardiac cycles. By calculating blood flow characteristics patterns that repeat with each cardiac cycle and applying these periodic variations to the inlet and outlet boundaries, the apparatus captures the temporal fluctuations inherent in pulsatile blood flow while maintaining a systematic approach to automatic boundary condition setting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10786165B2Blood-flow analysis device for blood-flow simulation and method therefor

Publication Date: 2020.09.29 EBM

AI summary

The present method is a method for executing a computational fluid analysis on a blood flow at a blood vessel region to be analyzed, and displaying the analysis results, comprising the steps of: obtaining, by a computer, a vascular diameter (d) of an inlet and/or outlet of a blood vessel region to be analyzed from medical images which include said blood vessel region; obtaining, by the computer, an estimated flow rate (Q) at the inlet and/or outlet based on the vascular diameter (d); and applying, by the computer, the estimated flow rate (Q) to a blood flow characteristics pattern of said blood vessel region and outputting blood flow characteristics at the inlet and/or outlet of the analysis object site.