基于医学影像的血流动力学分析

随着计算机成像技术的发展,计算机断层扫描(CT)和核磁共振(MRI)已经广泛应用于临床,特别是血管类疾病的诊断,比如动脉狭窄、血管瘤、血管畸形等.除了可以提供高分辨率的静态图像,先进的MRI技术还可以通过时间序列直接反映血流动力学的变化.而基于计算机成像和三维重建技术,血流动力学的参数又可以通过计算流体力学的方法进行详细的分析.如何将血流动力学参数和临床诊断相结合是近年来在转化医学领域研究的热点.文中将结合文献调研和作者自己的研究工作对基于医学图像的血流动力学分析进行综述,并探讨未来的研究方向.     

Medical image based hemodynamic analysis

随着计算机成像技术的发展,计算机断层扫描(CT)和核磁共振(MRI)已经广泛应用于临床,特别是血管类疾病的诊断,比如动脉狭窄、血管瘤、血管畸形等.除了可以提供高分辨率的静态图像,先进的MRI技术还可以通过时间序列直接反映血流动力学的变化.而基于计算机成像和三维重建技术,血流动力学的参数又可以通过计算流体力学的方法进行详细的分析.如何将血流动力学参数和临床诊断相结合是近年来在转化医学领域研究的热点.结合文献调研和作者自己的研究工作对基于医学图像的血流动力学分析进行综述,并探讨未来的研究方向.     

面向血管病变力学特性表征的光学相干弹性成像研究进展

由于血管病主要发病机制是动脉粥样硬化斑块破裂,所以动脉斑块的力学特性表征对血管病病理研究和诊治具有重要意义。光学相干断层扫描(OCT)作为心血管成像的新技术,能识别斑块的细微组织成分,但是不能评估或预测斑块的破裂风险。面向斑块力学特性表征的弹性成像技术(OCE)近年来逐渐成为了血管力学领域的一个研究热点。本综述首先介绍OCT干涉信号及与组织结构、变形、速度相关的数据处理的基本原理;然后总结对体外块状的血管斑块样本变形进行测试的散斑追踪和基于相位检测的OCE方法,以及面向临床应用的基于导管扫描的血管内OCE技术进展;最后,综述血管力学参数定量计算及应力分析方法。血管OCE的主要进展和现存关键问题的深入分析表明血管内OCE有望成为血管内OCT的新功能,为动脉斑块发生发展机理研究和心脑血管疾病诊治提供更有力的成像手段。     

中等严重程度冠状动脉病变模型的血流动力学参数分析

基于中等严重程度冠状动脉病变模型,应用流固耦合方法数值研究了中等严重程度面积狭窄率(AS=50%,65%,75%)和病变长度(LL= 0 mm,15 mm,20 mm) 对血流动力学参数的影响.研究发现:随着AS与LL的增大,病变血管分支的壁面剪应力变化愈加剧烈,狭窄段下游的壁面剪应力值逐渐降低,狭窄段下游回流区的长度呈"S"型增长,模型最大剪切速率呈抛物线型增长, 压力分布曲线显著下降.血流动力学参数结果表明, 中等严重程度面积狭窄率和病变长度均是可能引发血栓的因素,临床上应予以重视.      

动脉分岔血管内膜增生过程的数值模拟

内膜增生从发生到阻塞血管是一个复杂的变化过程,在这个过程中,内膜的增生、血管腔体形状的改变和血流动力学之间是相互影响的。为了研究这些变化,本文提出一种单元填充方法数值模拟了三维颈动脉分岔血管在低切应力作用下血管内膜增生的过程。该方法既可以克服节点移动方法所不可避免的内膜增生的不连续性,也可以避免网格重划分的困难。结果发现,如果单纯以切应力阈值作为内膜增生的判据,低切应力的作用将无法导致血管完全阻塞,但内膜增生和血流动力学之间的相互影响是可以通过数值方法进行模拟的。在本数值模拟中,内膜增生的过程分为"增厚"(先)和"扩展"(后)两个阶段,最大狭窄率为34.4%,发生在距血管分岔5mm处动脉窦的外侧壁面。其发生位置和形状与临床观察吻合。     

彩色光弹性干涉影像分析系统

自行开发的“彩色光弹性干涉影像分析系统”首先利用CCD成像和图像采集设备,将光弹图像以数字图像的形式存储到计算机,然后通过对存储的光弹图像进行处理,得到物体边界、等差线、等倾线等数据。最后根据这些数据,绘制出主应力迹线,并进行二维的和三维的应力分析。本文着重介绍了系统整体设计以及系统研制的难点问题(彩色光弹图像处理、主应力迹线的绘制等)。系统可以通过对彩色图像进行分解,应用目前已经比较成熟的灰度光弹图像处理技术,来完成彩色图像的处理;也可以直接应用彩色信息来确定条纹级数,进行相关处理。彩色图像能够比灰度图像提供更精确的图像信息,以满足高精度测量的要求。     

HEMODYNAMIC CHANGES OF THE LEFT CORONARY ARTERY DURING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY WEI Chijun*, QIU Yue*, FAN Yubo†, PENG Liqing**, ZHENG Tinghui*,2)*

经皮冠状动脉介入治疗(percutaneous coronary intervention, PCI)是检查和治疗冠心病的常用手段,冠状动脉支架植入过程中可能引发急性血栓的发生。本文通过血流动力学计算探究PCI支架植入手术过程对急性血栓形成的影响。根据真实的冠状动脉计算机断层扫描影像进行建模,在脉动生理血流条件下模拟该手术过程中导丝介入的5个阶段,获得各项血流动力学参数。计算结果表明,导丝介入过程会导致冠状动脉内各项血流动力学参数发生改变,即冠状动脉内血流出现偏心现象,时均壁面剪切力升高,振荡剪切指数下降,粒子相对停留时间降低,横向壁面剪切应力小幅上升,使得血管的内皮细胞暴露在高壁面剪切力的环境下。虽然较短的相对粒子 停留时间、 较小的振荡剪切指数对急性血栓的形成具有阻碍作用,但高时均壁面剪切力与血流偏心对急性血栓形成的诱导作用可能更加明显。     

经皮支架植入过程对左冠状动脉的血流动力学影响

经皮冠状动脉介入治疗(percutaneous coronary intervention,PCI)是检查和治疗冠心病的常用手段,冠状动脉支架植入过程中可能引发急性血栓的发生。本文通过血流动力学计算探究PCI支架植入手术过程对急性血栓形成的影响。根据真实的冠状动脉计算机断层扫描影像进行建模,在脉动生理血流条件下模拟该手术过程中导丝介入的5个阶段,获得各项血流动力学参数。计算结果表明,导丝介入过程会导致冠状动脉内各项血流动力学参数发生改变,即冠状动脉内血流出现偏心现象,时均壁面剪切力升高,振荡剪切指数下降,粒子相对停留时间降低,横向壁面剪切应力小幅上升,使得血管的内皮细胞暴露在高壁面剪切力的环境下。虽然较短的相对粒子停留时间、较小的振荡剪切指数对急性血栓的形成具有阻碍作用,但高时均壁面剪切力与血流偏心对急性血栓形成的诱导作用可能更加明显。     

固体材料高功率激光斜波压缩研究进展

利用高功率激光诱导的应力波对固体材料进行高应变率斜波压缩,是近年来快速发展的新型动高压实验技术。与传统加载手段不同,它可以在数ns时间内以极高的应变率(106~109 s-1)将薄样品平滑加载到数千万大气压,并仍然保持其固体状态。结合多种先进的诊断技术,可以测得样品材料的热力学、动力学参数和原位微观结构特性,是研究动高压物理、物态方程和高应变率动力学问题的先进途径。本文梳理了这种技术的发展历程,对其加载和诊断技术以及已取得的主要结果进行综述,并展望了其发展前景。     

基于拓扑优化的结构弹性成像方法

弹性模量是工程材料重要的性能参数, 可以衡量物体抵抗弹性变形的能力. 弹性成像是一种通过弹性模量表征生物体组织物理特性的医学成像方法. 为了将弹性成像应用于机械装备结构的缺陷识别, 提高弹性成像的局部表征和全局识别能力, 提出一种基于拓扑优化的结构弹性成像方法. 受拓扑优化理论启发, 采用结构离散单元的相对密度(弹性模量系数)作为弹性成像参数来表征损伤程度, 建立成像参数与弹性模量的插值模型, 基于有限元模型构建损伤表征、结构模型与物理响应的映射关系. 以损伤结构和无损结构位移响应的最小二乘为目标函数, 以成像参数上下限为约束, 建立结构弹性成像的优化模型. 以伴随法推导弹性成像问题的灵敏度, 并详细给出了弹性成像反演的数值实施方式. 二维悬臂梁和米歇尔梁算例表明, 本文提出的基于拓扑优化的弹性成像方法无需先验损伤信息, 可有效实现均质/非均质、单/多缺陷结构的弹性成像, 且弹性成像结果不依赖于特定的边界条件, 进一步将弹性成像方法扩展至三维悬臂梁问题验证了其通用性.      

Prostate deformable registration through geometric transformation by finite element method

Meccanica - Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided needle biopsy is currently the clinical routine for diagnosis of prostate cancer. Due to the blurry TRUS imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)...     

Hemodynamic analysis of intracranial aneurysms using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging and computational fluid dynamics

Additional hemodynamic parameters are highly desirable in the clinical management of intracranial aneurysm rupture as static medical images cannot demonstrate the blood flow within aneurysms. There are two ways of obtaining the hemodynamic information—by phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging(PCMRI) and computational fluid dynamics(CFD). In this paper, we compared PCMRI and CFD in the analysis of a stable patient's specific aneurysm.The results showed that PCMRI and CFD are in good agreement with each other. An additional CFD study of two stable and two ruptured aneurysms revealed that ruptured aneurysms have a higher statistical average blood velocity,wall shear stress, and oscillatory shear index(OSI) within the aneurysm sac compared to those of stable aneurysms.Furthermore, for ruptured aneurysms, the OSI divides the positive and negative wall shear stress divergence at the aneurysm sac.     

Three-dimensional concentration field measurements in a mixing layer using magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the three-dimensional, time-averaged concentration distribution in a turbulent two-stream mixing layer. Test fluids and MRI scanning parameters were chosen to give good signal linearity, and a calibration/normalization procedure was developed to reduce the concentration measurement uncertainty. Plain deionized water mixing with a solution of 0.8% gadopentetate dimeglumine in deionized water were selected as test fluids. The concentration of the marked water was measured on an array of 220,000 0.69 mm³ voxels covering the entire flow apparatus. Planar laser-induced fluorescence experiments were performed on the flow centerplane to provide validation data. The uncertainty of a single voxel measurement was estimated to be less than 12% with the largest source of uncertainty being turbulent dephasing. Averaging two runs in which the marked water was switched between the two streams reduced the uncertainty to only 4%. The complete magnetic resonance concentration (MRC) procedure including the adjustment of scanning parameters, a background run, two reference/calibration runs, and multiple concentration measurement runs can be completed in 2–3 h. This work establishes MRC as a viable technique for studying the mixing in complex turbulent liquid flows.     

Magnetic Resonance Measurement of Transient Shear Wave Propagation in a Viscoelastic Gel Cylinder

A magnetic resonance measurement technique was developed to characterize the transient mechanical response of a gel cylinder subjected to angular acceleration. The technique employs tagged magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) synchronized to periodic impact excitation of a bulk specimen. The tagged MRI sequence provides, non-invasively, an array of distributed displacement and strain measurements with high spatial (here, 4 mm) and temporal (6 ms) resolution. The technique was validated on a cylindrical gelatin sample. Measured dynamic strain fields were compared to strain fields predicted using (1) a closed-form solution and (2) finite element simulation of shear waves in a three-parameter “standard” linear viscoelastic cylinder subjected to similar initial and boundary conditions. Material parameters used in the analyses were estimated from measurements made on the gelatin in a standard rheometer. The experimental results support the utility of tagged MRI for dynamic, non-invasive assays such as measurement of shear waves in brain tissue during angular acceleration of the skull. When applied in the inverse sense, the technique has potential for characterization of the mechanical behavior of gel biomaterials.     

Scanning-Digital Image Correlation for Moving and Temporally Deformed Surfaces in Scanning Imaging Mode

Background

Images from scanning electron microscopes, transmission electron microscopes and atomic force microscopes have been widely used in digital image correlation methods to obtain accurate full-field deformation profiles of tested objects and investigate the object’s deformation mechanism. However, because of the raster-scanning imaging mode used in microscopic observation equipment, the images obtained from these instruments can only be used for quasi-static displacement measurements; otherwise, spurious displacements and strains may be introduced into the deformation results if these scanning microscopic images are used directly in general digital image correlation calculations for moving and temporally deformed surfaces.

Objective

Realizing kinematic parameter and dynamic deformation measurements on a scanning electron microscope platform.

Methods

Establishing a scanning imaging model of moving and temporally deformed objects that contains motion and deformation equations, a scanning equation and an intensity invariance assumption for small deformations. Then proposing a scanning-digital image correlation (S-DIC) method based on combing the characteristics of the scanning imaging mode with digital image correlation.

Results

Quantitatively investigating the effects of the spurious displacements and strains introduced when using scanning images to represent moving and temporally deformed surfaces in the measurement results. Numerical simulations verify that the accuracy of the S-DIC method is 10^?2pix for the displacement, 10^?4 for the strain, 10^?4pix/s for the velocity and 10^?6s^?1 for the strain rate. Experiments also show that the proposed S-DIC method is effective. Conclusions: The results of this work demonstrate the utility of S-DIC on the field of microscopic dynamic measurement.

     

Three-dimensional magnetic resonance velocimetry measurements of turbulence quantities in complex flow

A magnetic resonance velocimetry (MRV) experimental technique based on magnetic resonance imaging and capable of measuring the turbulent Reynolds stresses in a 3D flow domain is described. Results are presented in backward facing step flow in a square channel with a Reynolds number of 48,000 based on step height and freestream velocity at the step. MRV results are compared to particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements in the centerplane containing the streamwise and cross-stream axes. MRV and PIV mean velocity measurements show excellent agreement. MRV measurements for Reynolds normal stresses compare to within ±20% of the PIV results while results for the turbulent shear are less accurate.     

Velocity measurements of flow through a step stenosis using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a versatile noninvasive tool for achieving full-field quantitative visualization of complex fluid flows. The MRI signal results from the interaction of radio-frequency (RF) pulses with nuclear spins exposed to a strong static magnetic field. The two main techniques of MRI velocimetry are time-of-flight and phase contrast techniques. Time-of- flight techniques involve tagging and tracking a material volume of fluid, whereas phase contrast techniques use magnetic field gradients to encode velocity information into the phase of the MRI signal. In this study, both techniques are used to probe the pressure-driven steady flow of water in a pipe with a step stenosis. The velocity measurements were then compared with computational results obtained using the FIDAP software package. The experiments show that the phase contrast method gives more accurate results, with 90% of the measurements within 10% of the local computational fluid dynamics (CFD) velocity predictions at Re = 100 and 94% of the measurements within 10% of the local CFD predictions at Re = 258. Although the time-of-flight experiments were not as accurate, they provide a good qualitative image of the flow field. Sources of the discrepancies between the MRI data and the CFD results are also discussed, including acceleration and spin flow-through artifacts. Received: 7 April 1999/Accepted: 20 December 1999