Finite element modeling of blood flow in arteries Original Research Article

A comprehensive finite element framework to enable the conduct of computational vascular research is described. The software system developed provides an integrated set of tools to solve clinically relevant blood flow problems and test hypotheses regarding hemodynamic (blood flow) factors in vascular adaptation and disease. The validity of the computational method was established by comparing the numerical results to an analytic solution for pulsatile flow as well as to published experimental flow data. The application of the finite element method to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the blood flow field in a number of clinically relevant models is described.