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A personalised computational model of the impact of COVID-19 on lung function under mechanical ventilation

Jason M. Carson Orcid Logo, Raoul van Loon Orcid Logo, Hari Arora Orcid Logo

Computers in Biology and Medicine, Volume: 183, Start page: 109177

Swansea University Authors: Jason M. Carson Orcid Logo, Raoul van Loon Orcid Logo, Hari Arora Orcid Logo

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Abstract

This work proposes a modelling framework to analyse flow and pressure distributions throughout the lung of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. The methodology involves: segmentation of the lungs and major airways from patient CT images; a volume filling algorithm that creates adichotomous air...

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Published in: Computers in Biology and Medicine
ISSN: 0010-4825
Published: Elsevier BV 2024
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67771
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Abstract: This work proposes a modelling framework to analyse flow and pressure distributions throughout the lung of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. The methodology involves: segmentation of the lungs and major airways from patient CT images; a volume filling algorithm that creates adichotomous airway network in the remaining volume of the lung; an estimate of resistance and compliance within the lung based on Hounsfield unit values from the CT scan; and a computational fluid dynamics model to analyse flow, lung inflation, and pressure throughout the airway network.Mechanically ventilated patients with differing progression and severity of the disease were simulated. The results indicate that the flow distribution within the lung can be significantly affected when there are competing types of lung damage. These competing types are primarily fibrosis-like lung damage that creates higher resistance and lower compliance in that region; and emphysema, which causes a decrease in resistance and increase in compliance. In a patient with severe disease, the model predicted an increase in inflation by 33 % in an area affected by emphysema-like conditions. This could increase the risk of alveolar rupture. The framework could readily be adapted to study other respiratory diseases. Early interventions in critical respiratory care could be facilitated through such efficient patient-specific modelling approaches.
Keywords: lung modelling, COVID-19, computational fluid dynamics, mechanical ventilation, reduced-order modelling
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Funders: The authors acknowledge funding support from Welsh Government, WG, (MA/KW/1457/20) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, EPSRC, (EP/V041789/1) for the development and exploitation of the model framework. The authors also acknlowedge the Research Impact Fund from EPSRC for wider dissemination activities realted to this research article. The authors are also grateful for valuable discussions with healthcare professionals from Hywel Dda University Health Board, Swansea Bay University Health Board, and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board providing insight on their experiences with COVID-19 and data access.
Start Page: 109177