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Endothelial shear stress estimation in the human carotid artery based on Womersley versus Poiseuille flow

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Abstract

Endothelial shear stress (ESS) dynamics are a major determinant of atherosclerosis development. The frequently used Poiseuille method to estimate ESS dynamics has important limitations. Therefore, we investigated whether Womersley flow may provide a better alternative for estimation of ESS while requiring equally simple hemodynamic parameters. Common carotid blood flow, centerline velocity, lumen diameter and mean wall thickness (MWT) were measured with 3T-MRI in 45 subjects at three different occasions. Mean ESS and two measures of pulsatility [shear pulsatility index (SPI) and oscillatory shear index (OSI)] were estimated based on Poiseuille and Womersley flow and compared to the more complex velocity gradient modelling method. The association between ESS and MWT was tested with multiple linear regression analysis; interscan reproducibility was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Mean ESS and pulsatility indices based on Womersley flow (ESSwq β = −0.18, P = 0.04; SPIwq β = 0.24, P = 0.02; OSIwq β = 0.18, P = 0.045), showed equally good correlations with carotid MWT as the velocity gradient method (ESSvg β = −0.23, P = 0.01; SPIvg β = 0.21, P = 0.02; OSIvg β = 0.07, P = 0.47). This in contrast to the Poiseuille flow method that only showed a good correlation for mean ESS (ESSpq β = −0.18, P = 0.04; SPIpq β = 0.14, P = 0.14; OSIpq β = 0.04, P = 0.69). Womersley and Poiseuille methods had high intraclass correlation coefficients indicating good interscan reproducibility (both ICC = 0.84, 95 % confidence interval 0.75–0.90). Estimation of ESS dynamics based on Womersley flow modelling is superior to Poiseuille flow modelling and has good interscan reproducibility.

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Abbreviations

3T-MRI:

3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging

ESR:

Endothelial shear rate

ESS:

Endothelial shear stress

ICC:

Intraclass correlation coefficient

LA:

Lumen area

MWT:

Mean wall thickness

OSI:

Oscillatory shear index

Q:

Blood flow rate

SPI:

Shear pulsatility index

v:

Centerline velocity

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank A.M. van den Berg for assisting in the data acquisition. JCVS was supported by Grant 01C-204 (EMINENCE project) from the Center for Translational Molecular Medicine.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Janina C. V. Schwarz & Ed VanBavel

  2. Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Raphaël Duivenvoorden & Erik S. G. Stroes

  3. Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Aart J. Nederveen

Authors
  1. Janina C. V. Schwarz
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  2. Raphaël Duivenvoorden
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  3. Aart J. Nederveen
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  4. Erik S. G. Stroes
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  5. Ed VanBavel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ed VanBavel.

Additional information

Janina C. V. Schwarz and Raphaël Duivenvoorden have contributed equally.

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Schwarz, J.C.V., Duivenvoorden, R., Nederveen, A.J. et al. Endothelial shear stress estimation in the human carotid artery based on Womersley versus Poiseuille flow. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 31, 585–593 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-014-0571-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-014-0571-0

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