Page 6 - Computational Modeling in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics

vi Contents

Fluid trees 49
Living trees 51
Counterflow convection trees 54
2.4 Structure in time: rhythm 56
Intermittent heat transfer 56
Respiration 57
Heart beating 60
Coupled rhythms in the cardio-pulmonary system 62
2.5 The effect of body size 63
References 67

3. Computational domains 71
3.1 Physical domains generated using computer-aided design techniques 71
A CAD construct for an intervertebral disc 71
A CAD abstraction of the kidney 72
3.2 Image-based reconstruction of anatomically accurate computational domains 73
Rigid and elastic arterial networks 75
The heart 83
A vertebral column segment 85
References 89

4. Electrical activity of the heart 93
4.1 Introduction 93
Electrophysiology insights 95
Bioelectric sources. The direct ECG problem 98
4.2 Coupled direct and inverse ECG problems for electrical imaging 99
Image-based construction of a human heart and thorax 102
4.3 The electrical activity of the cardiac strand 104
One-dimension action potential propagation 105
Two-dimensional action potential propagation 108
4.4 Coupling the action potential with the electric field diffusion in the thorax 111
4.5 Blood pressure pulse wave reflections 116
The blood pressure wave 116
The augmentation index 119
The generalized transfer function 120
Using small size data collections to process the arterial flow evaluation 121
4.6 Arterial function evaluation 123
The arterial hemodynamic 123
Structural analysis 125
Pressure transducers and their positioning 126