Modelling large scale artery haemodynamics from the heart to the eye in response to simulated microgravity

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Continuous arterial network model. Examples of types of corresponding image data are provided alongside detailed views of the 3D geometry. This model was comprised of four 3D reconstructions associated with separate image datasets, consisting of the retinal arterioles (a) with corresponding image adapted from23 (CC BY 3.0), cerebrovasculature and neck arteries (b), aorta and iliac arteries (c) and the aortic root and coronary arteries (d). The 3D reconstructions of these regions were combined within STAR-CCM+.

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  Fig. 2. Entire arterial network surface distributions of haemodynamic metrics. Distributions show the relative change (%) in time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) (a) and oscillatory shear index (OSI) (b) from Earth gravity to simulated microgravity (g→µg). Detail views (with varying colour bar scales for TAWSS) of the retinal, cerebrovascular, carotid bifurcation, coronary, branching visceral and renal, and iliac arteries are presented.

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  Fig. 3. Surface averaged haemodynamic metrics. Data is presented for the Earth gravity (g; white) and simulated microgravity (µg; grey) cases. Measures of time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) (a) and oscillatory shear index (OSI) (b) are presented as a surface average with error bars representing the corresponding regional surface standard deviation.

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  Fig. 4. Blood flow waveform changes throughout the cerebrovasculature and the eye. Waveforms are presented for Earth gravity (g; solid black line) and simulated microgravity (µg; dashed red line). Maximal velocity (Vmax) in the left (a) and right (e) central retinal arteries (CRA) and left (b) and right (f) M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery, as well as mass flow rate waveforms (MFR) in the left (c) and right (g) internal carotid (ICAL and ICAR) and left (d) and right (h) vertebral (VAL and VAR) arteries over the final cardiac cycle are presented.

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  Fig. 5. Haemodynamic metrics within the retinal arterioles. Diameter distributed surface averaged haemodynamic metrics for the Earth gravity (g; white) and simulated microgravity (µg; grey) cases. Measures of surface averaged time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) (a) and oscillatory shear index (OSI) (b) are presented as a combined mean of the left and right eye diameter bins, with error bars representing the corresponding standard deviation of each bin average.