Hemodynamic Study of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation: Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Blood Flow

Abstract

ObjectiveArteriovenous malformation is a disease of the vascular system that occurs mainly in the cerebral arteries and spine. Numerical simulation as a powerful method is used to investigate the Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation hemodynamic after occlusion of the abnormality step by step by embolization. MethodsThe CT Angiographic imaging data of two patients are used and a geometric model is extracted by the Mimics software. Numerical simulation of blood flow is performed in both Newtonian and non-Newtonian models. The Navier–Stokes, and continuity governing equations are solved by finite element method using the COMSOL Multiphysics software (the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation software). To validate the numerical results, the real data on blood flow rate in the feeding artery and draining veins are used, as well as angiographic images at different times. ResultsRegarding the comparison of pressure contours for different occlusions of 0, 30, 50, and 90%, by increasing the amount of occlusion in the nidus, there is an increase in the blood pressure. Regarding the comparison of the blood flow velocity in the feeding artery, draining veins, and inside the AVM nidus for Newtonian and non-Newtonian models, there is a significant difference between these two simulations in vessels with smaller dimensions (such as vessels inside the nidus). ConclusionBy increasing the amount of nidus occlusion, the blood pressure is increased, so the blood supply process is better. According to a significant difference between the Newtonian and non-Newtonian simulations in vessels with smaller dimensions (such as vessels inside the nidus), therefore, non-Newtonian simulation should be done for different occlusions of 30, 50, and 90%.