Impact of Geometric Attributes on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Risk: An In Vivo FSI‐Based Study

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering 2024-12, Vol.40 (12), p.e3884-n/a
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaochen, Ghayesh, Mergen H., Li, Jiawen, Kotousov, Andrei, Zander, Anthony C., Dawson, Joseph A., Psaltis, Peter J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA); aneurysm rupture; Aorta; Aorta, Abdominal - pathology; Aorta, Abdominal - physiopathology; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - physiopathology; Aortic aneurysms; Aortic Rupture - physiopathology; Biomechanical Phenomena - physiology; Biomechanics; Dimensional analysis; Finite Element Analysis; Finite element method; Fluid-structure interaction; fluid–structure interaction (FSI); geometric attributes; haemodynamics; Humans; In vivo methods and tests; Male; Mathematical models; Models, Cardiovascular; patient‐specific models; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Shear stress; Stress, Mechanical; Wall shear stresses
• ISSN: 2040-7939; 2040-7947; 2040-7947
• DOI: 10.1002/cnm.3884

ABSTRACT Reported in this paper is a cutting‐edge computational investigation into the influence of geometric characteristics on abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture risk, beyond the traditional measure of maximum aneurysm diameter. A Comprehensive fluid–structure interaction (FSI) analysis was employed to assess risk factors in a range of patient scenarios, with the use of three‐dimensional (3D) AAA models reconstructed from patient‐specific aortic data and finite element method. Wall shear stress (WSS), and its derivatives such as time‐averaged WSS (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), relative residence time (RRT) and transverse WSS (transWSS) offer insights into the force dynamics acting on the AAA wall. Emphasis is placed on these WSS‐based metrics and seven key geometric indices. By correlating these geometric discrepancies with biomechanical phenomena, this study highlights the novel and profound impact of geometry on risk prediction. This study demonstrates the necessity of a multidimensional assessment approach, future efforts should complement these findings with experimental validations for an applicable approach for clinical use. This study employs patient‐specific 3D models and fluid–structure interaction (FSI) analysis to evaluate abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) risk. The findings indicate that the ratio of maximum diameter to proximal neck diameter (DDr) correlates more closely with peak wall stress and shear indices than maximum diameter alone. The results also addressed the importance of metrics related to wall shear stress in predicting endothelial dysfunction and propose a multidimensional assessment approach to rupture risk prediction.