Patient-specific simulation of a gallbladder refilling based on MRI and ultrasound in vivo measurements

• Main Authors: Kuchumov, Aleksey G., Kamaltdinov, Marat R., Samartsev, Vladimir A., Khairulin, Aleksander R., Ivashova, Yulia A., Taiar, Redha
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bile; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer simulation; Flow characteristics; Flow velocity; Gallbladder; Image segmentation; Magnetic resonance imaging; Mathematical models; Refilling; Three dimensional flow; Three dimensional models
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0003367

The results of patient-specific modeling using a Windkessel model (for gallbladder performance) and a 3D biliary tree flow model are presented. The model was adopted to assess bile velocities and pressures in the biliary tree. The patient- specific model was created using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), after which a segmentation was performed and the 3D model was imported in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. The CFD computations enabled us to evaluate bile flow velocity and pressure during the gallbladder refilling phase. The proposed model allows us to estimate bile velocity and pressure distributions for the both phases (emptying and refilling). In this paper, we present numerical results for the refilling phase simulation. CFD simulations assume non-invasive approach for clinical data estimation. The aim of the study was to show how pathology influences bile flow characteristics. Using a patient-specific model, we numerically showed that the velocity distributions become lower, whereas the pressure becomes higher compared to that of the healthy state. It is planned to translate the developed model into the clinical practice to overcome post-surgical complications. The proposed model will help to plan surgical strategies based on the patient-specific results of the numerical simulations. The physician will be able to assess the current pathological condition of the patient, using the same model to find the normal bile flow rates in the segments of the biliary system and selecting a surgical treatment that leads to bile flow rates and pressures after the operation that are close to the values in the healthy state.