Method and system for patient-specific modeling of blood flow

Abstract

Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient's heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient's heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model.

1 - 184 . (canceled) 
     
     
         185 . A system for displaying cardiovascular information of a patient, the system comprising:
 at least one computer system configured to:
 receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart; 
 create a model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data; 
 determine at least one value of a blood flow characteristic within the patient's heart based on the model; 
 generate a report comprising a representation of at least one artery corresponding to at least a portion the model; and 
 display on the report one or more indicators of the value of the blood flow characteristic on a corresponding portion of the at least one artery. 
   
     
     
         186 . The system of  claim 185 , wherein the at least one artery is colored based upon a value of the blood flow characteristic at one or more locations along the artery. 
     
     
         187 . The system of  claim 185 , wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 upon determining that the value of the blood flow characteristic associated with an artery exceeds a predetermined threshold, display the value of the blood flow characteristic on a corresponding portion of the at least one artery.   
     
     
         188 . The system of  claim 185 , wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 in response to determining that an artery of the patient's heart is associated with a value of the blood flow characteristic that exceeds a predetermined threshold, displaying a plurality of indicators associated with a plurality of portions of the artery.   
     
     
         189 . The system of  claim 185 , wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 determine a plurality of blood flow characteristic values within an artery of the patient's heart; and   display the most functionally significant blood flow characteristic value from the plurality of blood flow characteristic values.   
     
     
         190 . The system of  claim 185 , wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 determine the percentage of the myocardium placed at risk based upon the value of the blood flow characteristic; and   display the percentage of the myocardium placed at risk.   
     
     
         191 . The system of  claim 185 , wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 determine a second value of the blood flow characteristic within the patient's heart based on the model; and   upon determining that the second value of the blood flow characteristic poses a greater risk to the health of the patient, display the second value more prominently than the value of the blood flow characteristic.   
     
     
         192 . The system of  claim 185 , wherein the value of the blood flow characteristic comprises the functional significance of a fractional flow reserve. 
     
     
         193 . A computer-implemented method for displaying cardiovascular information of a patient, comprising:
 receiving patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart;   creating a model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data;   determining at least one value of the blood flow characteristic within the patient's heart based on the model;   displaying a report comprising a representation of at least one artery corresponding to at least a portion the model; and   displaying one or more indicators of the value of the blood flow characteristic on a corresponding portion of the at least one artery.   
     
     
         194 . The method of  claim 193 , wherein the at least one artery is colored based upon a value of the blood flow characteristic at one or more locations along the artery. 
     
     
         195 . The method of  claim 193 , further comprising:
 upon determining that the value of the blood flow characteristic associated with an artery exceeds a predetermined threshold, displaying the value of the blood flow characteristic on a corresponding portion of the at least one artery.   
     
     
         196 . The method of  claim 193 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that an artery of the patient's heart is associated with a value of the blood flow characteristic that exceeds a predetermined threshold, displaying a plurality of indicators associated with a plurality of portions of the artery.   
     
     
         197 . The method of  claim 193 , further comprising:
 determining a plurality of blood flow characteristic values within an artery of the patient's heart; and   displaying the most functionally significant blood flow characteristic value from the plurality of blood flow characteristic values.   
     
     
         198 . The method of  claim 193 , further comprising:
 determining the percentage of the myocardium placed at risk based upon the value of the blood flow characteristic; and   displaying the percentage of the myocardium placed at risk.   
     
     
         199 . The method of  claim 193 , further comprising:
 determining a second value of the blood flow characteristic within the patient's heart based on the model; and   upon determining that the second value of the blood flow characteristic poses a greater risk to the health of the patient, displaying the second value more prominently than the value of the blood flow characteristic.   
     
     
         200 . The method of  claim 193 , wherein the value of the blood flow characteristic comprises the functional significance of a fractional flow reserve. 
     
     
         201 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for displaying cardiovascular information of a patient, the method including:
 receiving patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart;   creating a model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data;   determining at least one value of the blood flow characteristic within the patient's heart based on the model;   displaying a report comprising a representation of at least one artery corresponding to at least a portion the model; and   displaying one or more indicators of the value of the blood flow characteristic on a corresponding portion of the at least one artery.   
     
     
         202 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 201 , wherein the at least one artery is colored based upon a value of the blood flow characteristic at one or more locations along the artery. 
     
     
         203 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 201 , further comprising:
 upon determining that the value of the blood flow characteristic associated with an artery exceeds a predetermined threshold, displaying the value of the blood flow characteristic on a corresponding portion of the at least one artery.   
     
     
         204 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 201 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that an artery of the patient's heart is associated with a value of the blood flow characteristic that exceeds a predetermined threshold, displaying a plurality of indicators associated with a plurality of portions of the artery.