Tomo-PIV in a patient-specific model of human nasal cavities: a methodological approach

Abstract

The human nose serves as the primary gateway for air to enter the respiratory system and plays a vital role in respiratory homeostasis. Nasal breathing difficulties are a significant health concern, leading to substantial healthcare costs for patients. Understanding nasal airflow dynamics is crucial for comprehending respiratory mechanisms. This article presents a detailed study using tomo-PIV to investigate nasal airflow dynamics while addressing its accuracy. The study includes the manufacturing of a transparent silicone model based on a clinical CT scan, refractive index matching to minimize optical distortions, and precise flow rate adjustments based on physiological breathing cycles. This method allows for spatial high-resolution investigations in different regions of interest within the nasopharynx during various phases of the breathing cycle. The results demonstrate the accuracy of the investigations, enabling detailed analysis of flow structures and gradients. This spatial high-resolution tomo-PIV approach provides valuable insights into the complex flow phenomena occurring during the physiological breathing cycle in the nasopharynx.
The study’s findings contribute to advancements in non-free-of-sight experimental flow investigation of complex cavities under nearly realistic conditions. Furthermore, reliable and accurate experimental data is crucial for properly validating numerical approaches that compute this patient-specific flow for clinical purposes.