Determination of wall tension in cerebral artery aneurysms by numerical simulation

Background and Purpose: Cerebral artery aneurysms rupture when wall tension exceeds the strength of the wall tissue. At present, risk-assessment of unruptured aneurysms does not include evaluation of the lesions shape, yet clinical experience suggests that this is of importance. We aimed to develop a computational model for simulation of fluid-structure interaction in cerebral aneurysms based on patient specific lesion geometry, with special emphasis on wall tension. Methods: An advanced isogeometric fluid-structure analysis model incorporating flexible aneurysm wall based on patient specific computed tomography angiogram images was developed. Variables used in the simulation model were retrieved from a literature review. Results: The simulation results exposed areas of high wall tension and wall displacement located where aneurysms usually rupture. Conclusion: We suggest that analyzing wall tension and wall displacement in cerebral aneurysms by numeric simulation could be developed into a novel method for individualized prediction of rupture risk.