Quantitative Analysis of Wall Shear Stress for Human Carotid Bifurcation at Cardiac Phases by the Use of Phase Contrast Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Computational Fluid Dynamics Study

Purpose: Detailed strategy for regional hemodynamics is significant for knowledge of plaque development on vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to derive relation between atherosclerosis and hemodynamics at human carotid bifurcation by the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and to provide more accurate hemodynamic information. Methods: Blood velocity datasets at common carotid artery were obtained by phase-contrast cine magnetic resonance imaging (PC cine MRI). Carotid bifurcation model was computed for systolic, mid-diastolic, and end-diastolic phase. Comparison of wall shear stress (WSS) was performed for each cardiac phase. Results: PC cine MRI provided velocity measurement for common carotid artery with various cardiac phases. The blood velocity had acute variation from 0.21 m/s to 1.07 m/s at systolic phase. The variation of WSS during cardiac phase was presented at carotid bifurcation model. High shear stress area was observed at dividing wall for all cardiac phases. The systole-diastole WSS ratio was 10.15 at internal carotid side of bifurcation. And low shear stress (