Quantifying Vessel Material Properties Using MRI Under Pressure Condition and MRI-Based FSI Mechanical Analysis for Human Atherosclerotic Plaques

Abstract

Atherosclerotic plaques may rupture without warning and cause acute cardiovascular syndromes such as heart attack and stroke. Mechanical image analysis using MRI-based models with fluid-structure interactions (FSI) and MRI-determined material properties may improve the accuracy of plaque vulnerability assessment and rupture predictions. A plaque-phantom was set up to acquire plaque MR images under pressurized conditions. The 3D nonlinear modified Mooney-Rivlin (M-R) model was used to describe the material properties with parameters selected to fit the MRI data. The Navier-Stokes equations were used as the governing equations for the flow model. The fully-coupled FSI models were solved by ADINA. Our results indicate that doubling parameter values in the M-R model led to 12.5% decrease in structure maximum principal stress (Stress-P1) and 48% decrease in maximum principal strain (Strain-P1). Flow maximum shear stress (MSS) was almost unchanged. Results from a modified carotid plaque with 70% stenosis severity (by diameter) showed that Stress-P1 at the plaque throat from the wall-only model is 145% higher than that from the FSI model. MSS from a flow-only model is about 40% higher than that from the FSI model. This approach has the potential to develop non-invasive patient screening and diagnosis methods in clinical applications.