Echocardiography-based Left Ventricle Cardiac Hypertrophy Simulations

Bogdan Milićević*1,2, Miljan Milošević2,3,4, Vladimir Simić2,3, Danijela Trifunović5, Goran Stanković5,6, Nenad Filipović1,2, and Miloš Kojić2,6,7

1Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac 34000, Serbia

2Bioengineering Research and Development Center (BioIRC), Kragujevac 34000, Serbia

3Institute for Information Technologies, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac 34000, Serbia

4Belgrade Metropolitan University, Belgrade 11000, Serbia

5Cardiology Department, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Visegradska 26, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

6Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade 11000, Serbia

7Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston TX 77030, USA

bogdan.milicevic [at] uni.kg.ac.rs

Abstract

Clinical scenarios can be evaluated using numerical modeling of the cardiac cycle prior to experimental or clinical application. Changes in wall thickness, displacement fields, and general cardiac function are all affected by hypertrophy. In our study, we calculated the effects of eccentric and concentric hypertrophy and monitored changes in ventricular thickness and shape. Concentric hypertrophy results in thicker walls, while eccentric hypertrophy results in thinner walls. Passive stresses were calculated using recently established material modals based on Holzapfel’s work. Our modeling approach is based on composite shell finite elements, allowing easier and more efficient modeling compared to traditional 3D finite elements. A left ventricular model was constructed using echocardiographic images. Our modeling technology is based on accurate patient-specific geometries and realistic constitutive curves, so it can be used as the basis for real-world applications. Our model can be used to test medical hypotheses about the development of hypertrophy in healthy and diseased hearts under the influence of different conditions and factors.

Keywords: composite shell finite elements, echocardiography, left ventricle, cardiac hypertrophy

Acknowledgement: This research was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 952603 (http://sgabu.eu/). This article reflects only the author’s view. The Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Research was also supported by the SILICOFCM project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 777204. This article reflects only the authors’ views. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information the article contains. The research was also funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, contract numbers [451-03-68/2022-14/200107 (Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac) and 451-03-68/2022-14/200378 (Institute for Information Technologies Kragujevac, University of Kragujevac)].

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