Transient Dynamics Simulation of Airflow in a CT-Scanned Human Airway Tree: More or Fewer Terminal Bronchi?



Qi, Shouliang, Zhang, Baihua, Teng, Yueyang, Li, Jianhua, Yue, Yong, Kang, Yan and Qian, Wei
(2017) Transient Dynamics Simulation of Airflow in a CT-Scanned Human Airway Tree: More or Fewer Terminal Bronchi? Computational and mathematical methods in medicine, 2017. p. 1969023.

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Abstract

Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, the feasibility of simulating transient airflow in a CT-based airway tree with more than 100 outlets for a whole respiratory period is studied, and the influence of truncations of terminal bronchi on CFD characteristics is investigated. After an airway model with 122 outlets is extracted from CT images, the transient airflow is simulated. Spatial and temporal variations of flow velocity, wall pressure, and wall shear stress are presented; the flow pattern and lobar distribution of air are gotten as well. All results are compared with those of a truncated model with 22 outlets. It is found that the flow pattern shows lobar heterogeneity that the near-wall air in the trachea is inhaled into the upper lobe while the center flow enters the other lobes, and the lobar distribution of air is significantly correlated with the outlet area ratio. The truncation decreases airflow to right and left upper lobes and increases the deviation of airflow distributions between inspiration and expiration. Simulating the transient airflow in an airway tree model with 122 bronchi using CFD is feasible. The model with more terminal bronchi decreases the difference between the lobar distributions at inspiration and at expiration.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Lung, Bronchi, Trachea, Humans, Gases, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Imaging, Three-Dimensional, Respiratory Function Tests, Respiration, Respiratory Mechanics, Exhalation, Shear Strength, Stress, Mechanical, Pressure, Models, Biological, Computer Simulation, Middle Aged, Male, Hydrodynamics
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 11 Mar 2019 11:13
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 00:57
DOI: 10.1155/2017/1969023
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1969023
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3034048