Spatiotemporal transfer of nitric oxide in patient-specific atherosclerotic carotid artery bifurcations with MRI and computational fluid dynamics modeling

Shan Qian; Tianxiang Ma; Nan Zhang; Xiao Liu; Ping Zhao; Xiaoyin Li; Duo Chen; Liang Hu; Lingqian Chang; Lei Xu; Xiaoyan Deng; Yubo Fan

doi:10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.104015

Spatiotemporal transfer of nitric oxide in patient-specific atherosclerotic carotid artery bifurcations with MRI and computational fluid dynamics modeling

Comput Biol Med. 2020 Oct:125:104015. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.104015. Epub 2020 Oct 3.

Authors

Shan Qian¹, Tianxiang Ma¹, Nan Zhang², Xiao Liu³, Ping Zhao¹, Xiaoyin Li¹, Duo Chen¹, Liang Hu¹, Lingqian Chang¹, Lei Xu², Xiaoyan Deng⁴, Yubo Fan⁵

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nanotechnology for Single Cell Analysis, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China.
² Radiologic Department, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
³ Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nanotechnology for Single Cell Analysis, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China. Electronic address: liuxiao@buaa.edu.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nanotechnology for Single Cell Analysis, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China. Electronic address: dengxy1953@buaa.edu.cn.
⁵ Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nanotechnology for Single Cell Analysis, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China. Electronic address: yubofan@buaa.edu.cn.

PMID: 33035961
DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.104015

Abstract

Despite great progress in nitric oxide (NO) controlled releasing strategies, the in vivo spatiotemporal NO distribution of arteries is still unclear, which makes it impossible to assess the status of arteries and render NO-based therapies in vivo largely fruitless. Here, we presented personalized computational modelling to calculate the NO distribution on the endothelial surface and in the arterial wall of human atherosclerotic carotid artery bifurcations using models constructed from MRI. The computational results indicated the distribution of NO in the atherosclerotic artery is highly uneven. The volume-weighted average NO concentration (C_V) in regions with lipid plaques (9.76 ± 2.82 nM) was about 22 times higher than that in the plaque-free regions. Regions where also the calcified plaque components and the intraplaque hemorrhages are present would increase and abate the C_V, respectively. The dynamic blood flow during the cycle would directly affect the distribution of NO on the endothelial surface. The luminal NO distribution is closely related to hemodynamic indicators, including wall shear stress (WSS), time averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillating shear index (OSI) and relative residence time (RRT). In conclusion, atherosclerotic components determine the space-averaged NO concentration in arterial wall and blood flow controls the luminal NO concentration.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Hemodynamics; Nitric oxide; Numerical simulation; Phase contrast MRI.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Carotid Arteries / diagnostic imaging
Hemodynamics
Humans
Hydrodynamics*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Models, Cardiovascular
Nitric Oxide*
Stress, Mechanical

Substances

Nitric Oxide