Complex flow patterns in a real‐size intracranial aneurysm phantom: phase contrast MRI compared with particle image velocimetry and computational fluid dynamics

Abstract

The aim of this study was to validate the flow patterns measured by high-resolution, time-resolved, three-dimensional phase contrast MRI in a real-size intracranial aneurysm phantom. Retrospectively gated three-dimensional phase contrast MRI was performed in an intracranial aneurysm phantom at a resolution of 0.2 × 0.2 × 0.3 mm(3) in a solenoid rat coil. Both steady and pulsatile flows were applied. The phase contrast MRI measurements were compared with particle image velocimetry measurements and computational fluid dynamics simulations. A quantitative comparison was performed by calculating the differences between the magnitude of the velocity vectors and angles between the velocity vectors in corresponding voxels. Qualitative analysis of the results was executed by visual inspection and comparison of the flow patterns. The root-mean-square errors of the velocity magnitude in the comparison between phase contrast MRI and computational fluid dynamics were 5% and 4% of the maximum phase contrast MRI velocity, and the medians of the angle distribution between corresponding velocity vectors were 16° and 14° for the steady and pulsatile measurements, respectively. In the phase contrast MRI and particle image velocimetry comparison, the root-mean-square errors were 12% and 10% of the maximum phase contrast MRI velocity, and the medians of the angle distribution between corresponding velocity vectors were 19° and 15° for the steady and pulsatile measurements, respectively. Good agreement was found in the qualitative comparison of flow patterns between the phase contrast MRI measurements and both particle image velocimetry measurements and computational fluid dynamics simulations. High-resolution, time-resolved, three-dimensional phase contrast MRI can accurately measure complex flow patterns in an intracranial aneurysm phantom.

In vitro validation of flow measurement with phase contrast MRI at 3 tesla using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry and stereoscopic particle image velocimetry-based computational fluid dynamics

“…Previous studies have compared PC-MRI against PIV for velocity comparison in phantom models of congenital heart diseases (20) and intracranial aneurysms (21).…”

Measurement of turbulence statistics in single-phase and two-phase flows using ultrasound imaging velocimetry

“…Displacements are estimated using custom particle image velocimetry software (Poelma et al 2011). The algorithm allows for iterative analysis with interrogation window deformation.…”

“…Great advances have recently been made based on fully resolved numerical solutions of densely laden flows, made 1 3 171 Page 2 of 12 for flow measurements in complex and turbulent flows (Van Ooij et al 2011;Jullien and Lemonnier 2012). However, it is an expensive and complex technique, with restrictions on material choice for the entire experimental facility.…”

“…However, it is an expensive and complex technique, with restrictions on material choice for the entire experimental facility. In recent years, ultrasound imaging velocimetry (UIV; also known as 'echo-PIV') has been introduced as a relatively inexpensive, safe and easy option for flow measurement in non-transparent conditions Poelma et al 2011Poelma et al , 2012.…”

“…Many validation studies have appeared in the last few years, benchmarking the technique against, e.g. optical PIV or theoretical velocity profiles Poelma et al 2011;Beulen et al 2010;Walker et al 2014). However, all of these studies used time-averaged data, or phase-averaged profiles in the case of pulsatile flow.…”