Comparison of Navier-Stokes and lattice Boltzmann solvers for subject-specific modelling of intracranial aneurysms
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background and ObjectiveTaking advantage of the well-developed field of computational fluid dynamics, the study of blood flow, particularly with respect to the progression of cardiovascular disease, is at the forefront of efforts to use computational tools to assist in the analysis and forecasting of an individual’s state of health. Given the breadth of this field, it is crucial to have an understanding of how approaches may differ when applied to a nominally identical scenario both singularly and across a representative population of individuals.MethodsTo highlight these potential differences, we have studied the flow in aneurysms located on the internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery using the commercial solver Ansys CFX and the open-source code HemeLB. This comparison evaluates both the algorithmic methods used (finite volume method and lattice Boltzmann method) and issues surrounding the preparation and execution of a simulation using a commercial solver and an academically developed code. We examine how the two solvers calculate velocity profiles within the domain and common metrics used to clinically assess the risk of aneurysm rupture when applied to a population of 462 boundary condition profiles.ResultsGenerally, the flow computed by the solvers is qualitatively quite similar in the two domains. The momentum driven flow in the middle cerebral aneurysm demonstrated good quantitative agreement for velocity and shear stress-based metrics throughout the aneurysm region. Although there was greater quantitative variation seen in the shear driven internal carotid aneurysm, both methodologies consistently identified locations of extreme values of metrics associated with aneurysm rupture risk.ConclusionsWhilst each method has respective advantages and disadvantages across the simulation process that would influence the choice of code used by a particular user, either would be able to provide useful numerical information about flow in an aneurysm to guide decision making in a clinical scenario.
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,080
OpenAlex ID: W4414086356