Effects of inflow conditions and wall motion on flow in the ascending aorta

摘要

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been used in combination to simulate flow patterns in the ascending aorta. The vascular model was reconstructed from MR slices taken from a normal adult male. Wall movement, including radial expansion-contraction and lumen center motion, was based on MRI information from two specific transverse sections, and the inlet flow waveform was derived from the proximal of these sections. The pulsatile flow field was computed from the Navier-Stokes equations. The results reveal that: 1) there is a large vortex in the inner curvature of the ascending aorta during late systole and most of the diastolic period; 2) wall movement strongly effected the flow patterns in the ascending aorta.