We generated high resolution 3D models of atherosclerotic artery segments based on histology which include all relevant plaque components including thin media and adventitia layers and incorporating initial stresses. We demonstrated that lower sampling leads to geometrical axial smoothing and that the resulting stress distribution was qualitatively similar to higher sampling. However, the magnitude of maximum stresses and their location are significantly influenced by lower sampling: an under prediction of maximum stress of 23% was observed in one case. The relationship of higher stresses at thinner caps was maintained for all sampling cases but no definite relationship was found between under sampling and increase or decrease of maximum cap stress. Future work includes further data analysis on the other three 3D arterial sections and extensive statistical and geometrical analyses such as curvature calculations.
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