Numerical Modeling of the Sound Generated on an Intracranial Aneurysm Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract

Intracranial aneurysm is the enlargement of an artery in the brain which may lead to rupture and result in serious health disorders. The exact mechanism of aneurysm formation is still unclear; however, the disturbed hemodynamics take part in the initiation of the vessel enlargement. In this study, a simplified intracranial aneurysm is numerically investigated to elucidate the disturbed flow conditions and the generated sound on the aneurysm wall. In order to determine the generated sound, the pressure fluctuations on the inner wall are obtained using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Large eddy simulation model is employed to find the unsteady flow pressures. The results indicate that the sound levels increase at the proximity of the intracranial aneurysm. The sound levels on the aneurysm are compared to the sound levels on the sites with normal vessel diameter, and it is seen that the aneurysm results in about 10 dB increase in the sound generation. This relative increase in the flow-generated sound is important in terms of the diagnosis of the intracranial aneurysms, which can be used as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of the aneurysm before facing with the serious symptoms.

Keywords

• acoustic pressure
• computational fluid dynamics
• hemodynamics
• intracranial aneurysm
• akustik basınç
• hesaplamalı akışkanlar dinamiği
• hemodinamik
• i̇ntrakraniyal anevrizma