Guy Courbebaisse

Simulation of generalized Newtonian fluids with the lattice Boltzmann method

This paper proposes a study of the computational efficiency of a lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) solver to simulate the behavior of a generalized Newtonian fluid. We present recent progress concerning a 4-1 planar contraction considering a power-law and a Carreau-law model. First we compare the power-law model for a Poiseuille flow with the analytical solution, and show that our model is second-order accurate in space. Then we compare the results obtained with LBM for both laws to those obtained using a commercial finite element solver for the 4-1 plane sharp corner contraction.

Estimation of the viscoelastic properties of vessel walls using a computational model and Doppler ultrasound

Human arteries affected by atherosclerosis are characterized by altered wall viscoelastic properties. The possibility of noninvasively assessing arterial viscoelasticity in vivo would significantly contribute to the early diagnosis and prevention of this disease. This paper presents a noniterative technique to estimate the viscoelastic parameters of a vascular wall Zener model. The approach requires the simultaneous measurement of flow variations and wall displacements, which can be provided by suitable ultrasound Doppler instruments. Viscoelastic parameters are estimated by fitting the theoretical constitutive equations to the experimental measurements using an ARMA parameter approach. The accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed method are tested using reference data generated by numerical simulations of arterial pulsation in which the physiological conditions and the viscoelastic parameters of the model can be suitably varied. The estimated values quantitatively agree with the reference values, showing that the only parameter affected by changing the physiological conditions is viscosity, whose relative error was about 27% even when a poor signal-to-noise ratio is simulated. Finally, the feasibility of the method is illustrated through three measurements made at different flow regimes on a cylindrical vessel phantom, yielding a parameter mean estimation error of 25%.

A spatio-temporal model for spontaneous thrombus formation in cerebral aneurysms.

We propose a new numerical model to describe thrombus formation in cerebral aneurysms. This model combines CFD simulations with a set of bio-mechanical processes identified as being the most important to describe the phenomena at a large space and time scales. The hypotheses of the model are based on in vitro experiments and clinical observations. We document that we can reproduce very well the shape and volume of patient specific thrombus segmented in giant aneurysms.

The symmetric logarithmic image processing model

In this paper, a new extension of logarithmic image processing (LIP) model, called Symmetric Logarithmic Image Processing (SLIP), is proposed. Inspired by the previously developed symmetric models, the SLIP model defines a vector space on a symmetric bounded set. The development is aimed at (1) maintaining the physical interpretation of the LIP model and (2) solving the potential out-of-range problem which the LIP model has. The SLIP model is also able to deal with transmitted and reflected light images. The advantage of the SLIP is demonstrated through an image enhancement application using the generalized unsharp masking algorithm.

Determination of a shear rate threshold for thrombus formation in intracranial aneurysms

Background Particular intra-aneurysmal blood flow conditions, created naturally by the growth of an aneurysm or induced artificially by implantation of a flow diverter stent (FDS), can potentiate intra-aneurysmal thrombosis. The aim of this study was to identify hemodynamic indicators, relevant to this process, which could be used as a prediction of the success of a preventive endovascular treatment. Method A cross sectional study on 21 patients was carried out to investigate the possible association between intra-aneurysmal spontaneous thrombus volume and the dome to neck aspect ratio (AR) of the aneurysm. The mechanistic link between these two parameters was further investigated through a Fourier analysis of the intra-aneurysmal shear rate (SR) obtained by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This analysis was first applied to 10 additional patients (4 with and 6 without spontaneous thrombosis) and later to 3 patients whose intracranial aneurysms only thrombosed after FDS implantation. Results The cross sectional study revealed an association between intra-aneurysmal spontaneous thrombus volume and the AR of the aneurysm (R2=0.67, p<0.001). Fourier analysis revealed that in cases where thrombosis occurred, the SR harmonics 0, 1, and 2 were always less than 25/s, 10/s, and 5/s, respectively, and always greater than these values where spontaneous thrombosis was not observed. Conclusions Our study suggests the existence of an SR threshold below which thrombosis will occur. Therefore, by analyzing the SR on patient specific data with CFD techniques, it may be potentially possible to predict whether or the intra-aneurysmal flow conditions, after FDS implantation, will become prothrombotic.

Intracranial Aneurysms: Wall Motion Analysis for Prediction of Rupture

SUMMARY: Intracranial aneurysms are a common pathologic condition with a potential severe complication: rupture. Effective treatment options exist, neurosurgical clipping and endovascular techniques, but guidelines for treatment are unclear and focus mainly on patient age, aneurysm size, and localization. New criteria to define the risk of rupture are needed to refine these guidelines. One potential candidate is aneurysm wall motion, known to be associated with rupture but difficult to detect and quantify. We review what is known about the association between aneurysm wall motion and rupture, which structural changes may explain wall motion patterns, and available imaging techniques able to analyze wall motion.

Quantitative analysis of platelets aggregates in 3D by digital holographic microscopy

Platelet spreading and retraction play a pivotal role in the platelet plugging and the thrombus formation. In routine laboratory, platelet function tests include exhaustive information about the role of the different receptors present at the platelet surface without information on the 3D structure of platelet aggregates. In this work, we develop, a method in Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM) to characterize the platelet and aggregate 3D shapes using the quantitative phase contrast imaging. This novel method is suited to the study of platelets physiology in clinical practice as well as the development of new drugs.

Segmentation of the thrombus of giant intracranial aneurysms from CT angiography scans with lattice Boltzmann method

Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) plays an essential role in the diagnosis, treatment evaluation, and monitoring of cerebral aneurysms. Segmentation of CTA medical images of giant intracranial aneurysms (GIA) provides quantitative measurements of thrombus and aneurysms geometrical characteristics allowing 3D reconstruction. In fact, GIA demonstrated neuroradiological features and propensity of partial or total spontaneous intra-aneurysmal thrombosis generating a thrombus. Despite intensive researches on medical image segmentation, aneurysm (Lumen, Thrombus, and Parent Blood Vessels) segmentation remains as a difficult problem that has not been yet resolved. In this paper, we proposed a Lattice Boltzmann Geodesic Active Contour Method (LBGM) for aneurysm segmentation in CTA images in order to estimate both the volumes of the thrombus and the aneurysm. Although the noise in the CTA images is very strong and the edges of the thrombus are not so different than the surrounding tissues, the aneurysms are segmented effectively. Based on these results, a method using a dome-neck aspect ratio (AR) parameter for the evaluation of the Spontaneous Thrombosis (ST) phenomena demonstrates the promising potentiality of this LBGM for clinical applications.

MR derived volumetric flow rate waveforms of internal carotid artery in patients treated for unruptured intracranial aneurysms by flow diversion technique

Little is known about the hemodynamic disturbances induced by the cerebral aneurysms in the parent artery and the effect of flow diverter stents (FDS) on these latter. A better understanding of the aneurysm-parent vessel complex relationship may aid our understanding of this disease and to optimize its treatment. The ability of volumetric flow rate (VFR) waveform to reflect the arterial compliance modifications is well known. By analyzing the VFR waveform and the pulsatility in the parent vessel, this study aimed to test the hypotheses that (1) intracranial aneurysms might disrupt the blood flow of the parent vessel and (2) the treatment by FDS might have measurable corrective effect on these changes. Ten patients followed for unruptured intracranial aneurysms treated by FDS and ten healthy volunteers as control group were included in this study. Two-dimensional quantitative phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on each patient on the ICA artery upstream and downstream to the aneurysm, and on each volunteer at similar locations. The aneurysms altered significantly the parent vessel pulsatility and this effect was correlated to their volume. The aneurysms treatment by FDS allowed for the restoration of a normally modulated flow and pulsatility correction in the parent vessel.

Segmentation of giant cerebral aneurysms using a multilevel object detection scheme based on lattice Boltzmann method

Segmentation of giant cerebral aneurysms composed of lumen and thrombus in computed tomography angiography remains a challenge for image processing community. We propose a multilevel object detection scheme based on lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to tackle this problem. The method consists of first extracting the lumen using the LBM with some parameter configuration, and then detecting thrombus with the aid of a different LBM configuration, and finally expanding a disc to refine the shape of the thrombus. The results show that with the proposed method both lumen and thrombus can be well segmented, demonstrating the promising potentiality of this LBM-based multilevel detection approach for clinical applications.