Finite element simulation of a poroelastic model of the CSF system in the human brain during an infusion test

Thesis

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fills a system of cavities at the centre of the brain, known as ventricles, and the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain and the spinal cord. In addition, CSF is in free communication with the interstitial fluid of the brain tissue. Disturbances in CSF dynamics can lead to diseases that cause severe brain damage or even death. So-called infusion tests are frequently performed in the diagnosis of such diseases. In this type of test, changes in average CSF pressure are related to changes in CSF volume through infusion of known volumes of additional fluid.

Traditionally, infusion tests are analysed with single compartment models, which treat all CSF as part of one compartment and balance fluid inflow, outflow and storage through a single ordinary differential equation. Poroelastic models of the brain, on the other hand, have been used to simulate spatial changes with disease, particularly of the ventricle size, on larger time scales of days, weeks or months. Wirth and Sobey (2008) developed a two-fluid poroelastic model of the brain in which CSF pressure pulsations are linked to arterial blood pressure pulsations. In this thesis, this model is developed further and simulation results are compared to clinical data.

At first, the functional form of the compliance, which governs the storage of CSF in single compartment models, is examined by comparison of two different compliance models with clinical data. The derivations of a single-fluid and a two-fluid poroelastic model of the brain in spherical symmetry are laid out in detail and some of the parameters are related to the compliance functions considered earlier. The finite element implementation of the two-fluid model is described and finally simulation results of the average CSF pressure response and the pressure pulsations are compared to clinical data.

Authors: Eisenträger, A; Almut Eisentraeger

• Publication date: 2012
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-d5kk2bxpe
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: Oxford University, UK
• Language: English
• Keywords: poroelasticity; hydrocephalus; brain; infusion test; cerebrospinal fluid
• Subjects: Biology and other natural sciences (mathematics); Computer science (mathematics); Mathematical biology; Mechanics of deformable solids (mathematics); Fluid mechanics (mathematics)