Impact of stenosis location and severity on vertebral artery hemodynamics

This study systematically investigates the impact of stenosis location and severity on the hemodynamic characteristics of the vertebral artery. Based on computed tomography data from volunteers, reverse modeling techniques are employed to construct personalized three-dimensional geometric models of healthy vertebral arteries. Additionally, stenotic models are created at three locations along the arterial centerline, with each location modeled at stenosis severities of 30%, 50%, and 70%, respectively. A comprehensive analysis of vertebral artery hemodynamics is performed under both normal physiology and varying degrees of stenosis, with systematic qualitative and quantitative evaluations of key biomechanical indicators, including vortex intensity and wall shear stress. The findings provide biomechanical insights into the hemodynamic characteristics of vertebral artery stenosis and its intrinsic relationship with clinical pathological progression.