Computational Haemodynamics—An Introduction - Computational Hemodynamics: Theory, Modelling and Applications - page 1

Chapter 1
Computational Haemodynamics—An
Introduction

1.1 What is Computational Haemodynamics (CHD)

Cardiac diseases remain a major cause of ill health and death in our society and thus
advancements in current clinical therapies are of significant importance. Our age-
ing population and the obesity epidemic, have increased incidences of heart disease
giving rise to a new market for therapeutic systems that are computationally based
and exclusively dedicated to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. This coin-
cides with recent advancements in computing and flow visualisation technology,
giving greater ease for diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases (Banerjee et al. 2000).
As such, there will be an increasing demand for Computational Haemodynamic
analysis techniques to further facilitate the prognosis and diagnosis of a failing
heart. Haemodynamic parametrical studies have the potential for clinical study of
cardiac patients (Tu et al. 2011). The framework can be used to diagnose pre- and
post- surgical treatments. In particular, fluid mechanical flow quantification can
be adequately documented from simulated cardiovascular flow to aid diagnoses of
cardiovascular diseases and to assess cardiac flow analysis. These new approaches
to medical imaging provide an alternative to traditional invasive methods of diag-
noses such as surgical visualisation, and post-surgical evaluations, to characterise
cardiac abnormalities.
Computational Haemodynamics (CHD) is the computer simulation of blood flow
in the cardiovascular system. The motion of blood flow can be modelled by using
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and its interaction with blood vessel struc-
tures can be studied by combination with the use of Finite Element Method (FEM).
This is becoming an emerging research field that may lead to the everyday use of
computer modelling techniques for many biomedical engineering applications. The
biomedical engineering industry comprises the health, pharmaceutical and medical
research fields, whereby interest is increasing in the use of CHD modelling for car-
diac flow analysis, effectiveness of stents, and discovery of new phenomena related
to physiological flows.
The term “ Computational ” of the CFD terminology refers to the study of the “ flu-
id dynamics ” represented by the Navier-Stokes equations, which are solved using