Blood Flow Analysis of Subject-Specific Cerebral Arterial Tree: A Focus on the Redistribution of the Blood Flow After Occlusion

During vascular occlusions, the blood flow distribution in the cerebroarterial tree changes and can lead to insufficient blood flow, which can in turn cause tissue damage or ischemia. In such situations, predicting blood flow dynamics in a timely manner is crucial as it provides information about regions at risk, enabling clinicians to select optimal sites for revascularization procedures. This paper presents the development of a hemodynamic simulator designed to model pressure and flow, enabling detailed analysis of blood flow redistribution in response to arterial blockages. We focused on the role of Circle of Willis to provide immediate compensation for the loss of blood supply to the distal sites of occluded vessels. For this purpose, the angioarchitecture of a cerebral arterial tree was acquired using magnetic resonance angiography from a human subject with a complete Circle of Willis, and in-vivo blood flow measurements were used to obtain subject-specific boundary conditions. A 1D arterial network simulator was developed to predict the flow through the entire cerebral vascular tree model after five different scenarios of arteries occlusion. The blood flow in the communicating arteries, particularly in the right middle cerebral artery, significantly changed in different occlusion cases showing their importance for blood flow accommodation after occlusion.