The behaviour of fluids can be described through mathematical equations called Navier-Stokes equations. If also the patient’s geometry (his lungs, arteries, heart, etc) and the so-called boundary conditions (blood flow velocity, airflow pressures,etc) can be prescribed accurately then a patient specific model can be constructed that allows for highly detailed, functional imaging.
The functional imaging consists of solving the Navier Stokes equations numerically, this method is called Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Using this functional imaging it is possible to perform different intervention or analyse different treatments in order to select the optimal one for the patient. This method is cost efficient and ensures the best possible patient comfort.
This method can be applied to for instance:
- ventilation assesment of the respiratory system
- particle deposition of inhalation therapies
- assessment of local interventions for snoring and sleep apnea
- virtual surgery for nasal septum corrections
- analyses of mechanical devices (valves, stents,…) in bronchi, veins and arteries
Crucial for a good computational fluid dynamics model is having a sound understanding of the problem at hand and being able to apply correct boundary conditions to the model. In the biomedical field, especially for complex in-patient modelling, this principle is even more important compared to the other industries where one uses CFD.
FluidDA creates an environment where a close cooperation exists between healthcare experts with many years of clinical experience and experts in the field of numerical modelling, this to ensure a high quality standard.