Prediction of particle deposition in the human lung using realistic models of lung ventilation

Realistic predictions of inhaled particle deposition in various locations of the human lung depend mainly on accurate descriptions of the lung geometry and ventilation. Models of airflow distribution in the human lung by uniform and nonuniform lung expansions were used to calculate particle deposition in various lobes and regions of stochastically generated human lungs. To study the influence of lung geometry, 30 asymmetric stochastic lungs were generated and used in the calculations. Lobar airflow in each lung varied in accordance with lobar properties. The calculated airflow distributions indicated that the airflow rate entering each lobe of a given lung was similar for uniform and nonuniform lung expansions. Particle deposition was also found to be similar for uniform and nonuniform lung expansion models at rest breathing. The predicted deposition was in agreement with experimental measurements of regional and total depositions when considering lung size variation in a population. The coupled lung ventilation and deposition models can aid in detailed predictions of inhaled particle deposition in the human lungs.