Using one-dimensional finite element analysis to estimate differential pressure of renal artery stenoses

A study was conducted to evaluate the ability of a simple one-dimensional (1D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to identify a hemodynamically significant renal artery stenosis by predicting pressure loss and flow rate across a renal artery stenosis. Six combinations of wall properties, inlet, and outlet boundary conditions were used to evaluate their effects on blood pressure estimation. All combinations of boundary conditions in the 1D model produced pressure to flow relations that compared favourably with previously reported in vitro and three-dimensional CFD model of a similar geometry. The mean error of the 1D results, using the in vitro model as the gold standard, ranges from 0.53 to 3.46 mmHg. While further work is required to optimize the specification of renal outlet boundary conditions from patient specific data, these results show that a 1D model may be used to identify pressure gradients across a renal artery stenoses.