Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for the simulation of the upper airway of a subject. One embodiments provides a method (100) including the initial step (101) of receiving one or more tomographic images of the subject. At step (102) a three dimensional geometric model of the upper airway is generated from the one or more tomographic images. The geometric model includes a network of interconnected deformable mesh elements collectively defining a fluid domain (310) and a solid domain (320). The solid domain (320) defining a single unitary model of the entire upper airway region segmented into a plurality of predefined geometric regions, each being defined by one or more common anatomical parameters. At step (103), a computer simulation is performed on the geometric model to simulate behaviour of the upper airway when the subject is positioned in a predefined position. The computer simulation includes (103a) performing a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis on the fluid domain and then (103b) performing a Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) analysis between the fluid and solid domains under the influence of an applied gravity effect. Finally, at step (104), subject-specific parameters are output which are indicative of the behaviour of the upper airway.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim