Method for tuning patient-specific cardiovascular simulations

A method for determining patient-specific cardiovascular information using at least one computer system, the method comprising:

• inputting into the at least one computer system patient-specific data regarding a geometry of an anatomical structure of the patient;
• creating, using the at least one computer system and based on the patient-specific data, a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the aorta of the patient and at least a portion of a plurality of vessels emanating from the portion of the aorta, the three-dimensional model including portions representing at least one inlet and a plurality of outlets for blood flow;
• creating a three-dimensional mesh based on the three-dimensional model;
• creating at least one first model having less than three dimensions, the at least one first model representing blood flow through at least one of the at least one inlet or the plurality of outlets;
• determining, using the at least one computer system, a blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient by solving equations governing blood flow using the three-dimensional mesh and the at least one first model;
• and
• creating at least one second model having less than three dimensions, the at least one second model representing at least a portion of the three-dimensional model of the patient and created based on the patient-specific data and on the determined blood flow characteristic.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for use on at least one computer system containing computer-executable programming instructions for performing a method for determining patient-specific cardiovascular information, the method comprising:

• receiving patient-specific data regarding a geometry of an anatomical structure of the patient;
• creating, based on the patient-specific data, a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the aorta of the patient and at least a portion of a plurality of vessels emanating from the portion of the aorta, the three-dimensional model including at least one inlet for blood flow and a plurality of outlets for blood flow;
• creating a three-dimensional mesh based on the three-dimensional model;
• creating at least one boundary condition model having less than three dimensions, the at least one boundary condition model representing blood flow through at least one of the at least one inlet or the plurality of outlets;
• determining a blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient by solving equations governing blood flow using the three-dimensional mesh and the at least one boundary condition model;
• and
• automatically tuning at least one parameter of the three-dimensional model or the at least one boundary condition model.