Key result
Simulated physical activity increased maximum average wall shear stress in an ICA aneurysm by over 66% (from 30,147 to 50,085 Pa) and more than doubled the oscillatory shear index compared to rest.
Why the study?
The study was designed to investigate the impact of physical activity on the hemodynamic environment of intracranial aneurysms.
Does physical activity (simulated exercise) alter the hemodynamic environment (WSS and OSI) in patient-specific intracranial aneurysms compared to rest?
Does physical activity (simulated exercise) alter the hemodynamic environment (WSS and OSI) in patient-specific intracranial aneurysms compared to rest?
Physical activity significantly increases mechanical stress and oscillatory flow behavior at the aneurysm wall in patient-specific computational models of intracranial aneurysms.
Exercise increases WSS/OSI variably by aneurysm location; leaves open personalized activity guidance for unruptured cases.
This study investigates the impact of physical activity on the hemodynamic environment of intracranial aneurysms by comparing two patient-specific aneurysms located in the internal carotid artery (ICA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA), with closely matched geometrical and clinical characteristics. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations based on the Casson non-Newtonian blood model and laminar flow assumptions, hemodynamic parameters were evaluated under two physiological states: normal body condition at rest and during exercise. The simulation domain was reconstructed from Aneurisk dataset cases, and boundary conditions were defined using time-dependent inlet mass flow rate and outlet pressure profiles for each condition. Results indicate that physical activity leads to significant alterations in local flow dynamics, including increased mass flow rate, intra-aneurysmal velocity, pressure, wall shear stress (WSS), helicity and oscillatory shear index (OSI). Notably, the maximum average wall shear stress (AWSS) in the ICA aneurysm increased by over 66% during exercise (from 30,147[Formula: see text]Pa at rest to 50,085[Formula: see text]Pa), while the average OSI in the same case more than doubled (from 0.0127 to 0.0277), indicating elevated mechanical stress and oscillatory flow behavior at the aneurysm wall. The MCA case exhibited higher OSI and vorticity near the aneurysmal neck, while the ICA case showed more stable flow structures. Similar trends were observed in the MCA aneurysm, although with slightly lower magnitudes, emphasizing the influence of aneurysm geometry and location on hemodynamic response. The study supports the potential value of personalized flow-based analysis in clinical decision-making related to activity guidelines for patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms.
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Eladeb et al. (2025) studied Intracranial aneurysms (n=2). Physical activity (exercise state) vs. Normal body condition at rest was evaluated on Hemodynamic parameters including wall shear stress and oscillatory shear index. Simulated physical activity increased maximum average wall shear stress in an ICA aneurysm by over 66% (from 30,147 to 50,085 Pa) and more than doubled the oscillatory shear index compared to rest.
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