Figure 1.
Simplistic representation and corresponding MR images (T1) of the CSF system around the brain and cervical spine for a Chiari patient with syringomyelia showing location of the syrinx (blue region in center of spinal cord) and tonsillar herniation (red at base of brain).
Figure 2.
Meshed 3D reconstructions (sagittal view) of the cervical spinal SAS geometries used for the CFD simulations: healthy volunteer and two CMI patients before and after decompression surgery.
Note: flow extensions used for the CFD simulations were not included in this figure.
Table 1.
CFD simulation information for all cases.
Figure 3.
CSF flow waveforms at C2 for each case (Q represents flow).
Note, positive flow is in the caudal direction and negative flow is in the cranial direction.
Figure 4.
Distributions of hydrodynamic parameters computed for each case.
Position is relative to the location of the foramen magnum moving caudally down the SAS. Highlighted segment of waveforms indicate values in the first 2.5
Table 2.
Geometric and hydrodynamic parameters for each cervical SAS model.
Figure 5.
CSF velocity magnitudes simulated by CFD at various axial cross-sections shown at diastolic and systolic peak flow for the Healthy and CP2-pre case.
Inset of flow waveform (red trace) indicates portion of CSF flow cycle that each plot is given (blue vertical line).
Figure 6.
Pressure drop (dP) in the caudal direction computed over the first 2.5 cm of each CFD model.
Table 3.
Maximum velocities and pressure drops.
Figure 7.
Frequency traces of longitudinal impedance values (ZL) for each case.
Figure 8.
Integrated longitudinal impedance (LI) for each case.