Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics play an important role in maintaining a stable central nervous system environment and are influenced by different physiological processes. Multiple studies have investigated these processes but the impact of each of them on CSF flow is not well understood. A deeper...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.1040517/full |
| _version_ | 1811216393425649664 |
|---|---|
| author | Sarah Vandenbulcke Tim De Pauw Frank Dewaele Joris Degroote Patrick Segers |
| author_facet | Sarah Vandenbulcke Tim De Pauw Frank Dewaele Joris Degroote Patrick Segers |
| author_sort | Sarah Vandenbulcke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics play an important role in maintaining a stable central nervous system environment and are influenced by different physiological processes. Multiple studies have investigated these processes but the impact of each of them on CSF flow is not well understood. A deeper insight into the CSF dynamics and the processes impacting them is crucial to better understand neurological disorders such as hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation, and intracranial hypertension. This study presents a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model which incorporates physiological processes as boundary conditions. CSF production and pulsatile arterial and venous volume changes are implemented as inlet boundary conditions. At the outlets, 2-element windkessel models are imposed to simulate CSF compliance and absorption. The total compliance is first tuned using a 0D model to obtain physiological pressure pulsations. Then, simulation results are compared with in vivo flow measurements in the spinal subarachnoid space (SAS) and cerebral aqueduct, and intracranial pressure values reported in the literature. Finally, the impact of the distribution of and total compliance on CSF pressures and velocities is evaluated. Without respiration effects, compliance of 0.17 ml/mmHg yielded pressure pulsations with an amplitude of 5 mmHg and an average value within the physiological range of 7–15 mmHg. Also, model flow rates were found to be in good agreement with reported values. However, when adding respiration effects, similar pressure amplitudes required an increase of compliance value to 0.51 ml/mmHg, which is within the range of 0.4–1.2 ml/mmHg measured in vivo. Moreover, altering the distribution of compliance over the four different outlets impacted the local flow, including the flow through the foramen magnum. The contribution of compliance to each outlet was directly proportional to the outflow at that outlet. Meanwhile, the value of total compliance impacted intracranial pressure. In conclusion, a computational model of the CSF has been developed that can simulate CSF pressures and velocities by incorporating boundary conditions based on physiological processes. By tuning these boundary conditions, we were able to obtain CSF pressures and flows within the physiological range. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:38:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b6231f89d3ab4fa495c1b11e748e62ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-4185 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:38:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b6231f89d3ab4fa495c1b11e748e62ba2022-12-22T03:43:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology2296-41852022-11-011010.3389/fbioe.2022.10405171040517Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditionsSarah Vandenbulcke0Tim De Pauw1Frank Dewaele2Joris Degroote3Patrick Segers4Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (IBiTech-bioMMeda), Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Neurosurgery, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Neurosurgery, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Electromechanical Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumInstitute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (IBiTech-bioMMeda), Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics play an important role in maintaining a stable central nervous system environment and are influenced by different physiological processes. Multiple studies have investigated these processes but the impact of each of them on CSF flow is not well understood. A deeper insight into the CSF dynamics and the processes impacting them is crucial to better understand neurological disorders such as hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation, and intracranial hypertension. This study presents a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model which incorporates physiological processes as boundary conditions. CSF production and pulsatile arterial and venous volume changes are implemented as inlet boundary conditions. At the outlets, 2-element windkessel models are imposed to simulate CSF compliance and absorption. The total compliance is first tuned using a 0D model to obtain physiological pressure pulsations. Then, simulation results are compared with in vivo flow measurements in the spinal subarachnoid space (SAS) and cerebral aqueduct, and intracranial pressure values reported in the literature. Finally, the impact of the distribution of and total compliance on CSF pressures and velocities is evaluated. Without respiration effects, compliance of 0.17 ml/mmHg yielded pressure pulsations with an amplitude of 5 mmHg and an average value within the physiological range of 7–15 mmHg. Also, model flow rates were found to be in good agreement with reported values. However, when adding respiration effects, similar pressure amplitudes required an increase of compliance value to 0.51 ml/mmHg, which is within the range of 0.4–1.2 ml/mmHg measured in vivo. Moreover, altering the distribution of compliance over the four different outlets impacted the local flow, including the flow through the foramen magnum. The contribution of compliance to each outlet was directly proportional to the outflow at that outlet. Meanwhile, the value of total compliance impacted intracranial pressure. In conclusion, a computational model of the CSF has been developed that can simulate CSF pressures and velocities by incorporating boundary conditions based on physiological processes. By tuning these boundary conditions, we were able to obtain CSF pressures and flows within the physiological range.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.1040517/fullcerebrospinal fluidintracranial pressurewindkessel modelneurological disorderscomputational fluid dynamicscerebral blood vessels |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Vandenbulcke Tim De Pauw Frank Dewaele Joris Degroote Patrick Segers Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology cerebrospinal fluid intracranial pressure windkessel model neurological disorders computational fluid dynamics cerebral blood vessels |
| title | Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions |
| title_full | Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions |
| title_fullStr | Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions |
| title_short | Computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions |
| title_sort | computational fluid dynamics model to predict the dynamical behavior of the cerebrospinal fluid through implementation of physiological boundary conditions |
| topic | cerebrospinal fluid intracranial pressure windkessel model neurological disorders computational fluid dynamics cerebral blood vessels |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.1040517/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahvandenbulcke computationalfluiddynamicsmodeltopredictthedynamicalbehaviorofthecerebrospinalfluidthroughimplementationofphysiologicalboundaryconditions AT timdepauw computationalfluiddynamicsmodeltopredictthedynamicalbehaviorofthecerebrospinalfluidthroughimplementationofphysiologicalboundaryconditions AT frankdewaele computationalfluiddynamicsmodeltopredictthedynamicalbehaviorofthecerebrospinalfluidthroughimplementationofphysiologicalboundaryconditions AT jorisdegroote computationalfluiddynamicsmodeltopredictthedynamicalbehaviorofthecerebrospinalfluidthroughimplementationofphysiologicalboundaryconditions AT patricksegers computationalfluiddynamicsmodeltopredictthedynamicalbehaviorofthecerebrospinalfluidthroughimplementationofphysiologicalboundaryconditions |