Simulations improve predictability of aneurysm development
Friday, November 2, 2012 - 15:31
in Health & Medicine
Brain aneurysms occur in about six percent of the population. They are dilated sections of blood vessels, which can deteriorate over time until the blood vessel wall ruptures, resulting in a hemorrhage. This causes a loss of mental functions and severe headaches. Hemorrhages of this kind can even be life threatening. The treatment of such patients involves complex medical decision-making. Models developed by a Dutch researcher can be of great use in this regard. She uses information obtained from brain scans, in combination with fluid dynamics models, to predict flows and forces in the affected part of the brain.