PMC6879432_01
Examples of collected data and data processing. (A) The collected carotid plaque tissue sample (left) and later the sample was cut into six segments with 3-4 mm thick. (B) The Hematoxylin & Eosin (H & E) staining of 6 slices. (C) At the same position of staining slices, the T1-weighted MR imaging slices with segmented contours (lumen and vessel in red color, lipid in yellow color, and calcification in green color). (D) The reconstructed 3D patient-specific carotid bifurcation, including the geometries of lumen (gray), lipid (yellow) and calcification (green).
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F1
After CEA, the carotid plaque tissue sample was collected (Figure 1A). The tissue sample was cut into 3-4 mm thick segments (Figure 1A) and placed in Optimal Cutting Temperature (OCT) compound (Tissue-Tek OCT, TED Pella Inc, CA, USA). Hematoxylin & Eosin (H & E, Figure 1B), Oil Red O and Masson's Trichrome Staining were used to define the fibrous tissue, lipids, calcification, and hemorrhage. The plaque components (lipids and calcification) were segmented and reconstructed from a T1-weighted sequence of MR images (Figure 1C). The reconstructed geometry of the patient-specific carotid bifurcation is shown in Figure 1D.
The geometric model of 3D patient-specific carotid bifurcation with tandem stenosis for CFD simulation and the boundary conditions. The inlet and two outlets were extended to get fully developed flow profile. The time-dependent massflow rate boundary condition (extracted from phase-contrast MRI) was given to the CCA inlet, and the constant pressure profile was given to both ICA and ECA outlets.
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F2
In detail, the lumen geometric model, which was used for CFD simulation (Figure 2) was segmented and reconstructed from time of flight (ToF) sequence MR images. The inlet and outlets of the bifurcation were extended, patient-specific massflow rate (acquired from PC MR data) profile was prescribed at the extended inlet and at both extended outlets were set as pressure-out (Figure 2).
The 3D reconstructed patient-specific carotid bifurcation models and the geometric models used in CFD. From the left to right are, the original model with tandem stenosis, the presumptive model by removing the stenosis at CCA, ICT and both locations, respectively. The inlet and outlets were extended in the CFD geometric models for the purpose of flow fully-developing.
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F3
After the reconstructed 3D patient-specific carotid bifurcation lumen model with tandem stenosis, three presumptive models were created by removing the CCA stenosis, ICA stenosis, and both stenosis, respectively (Figure 3).