45 research outputs found
Local strain distribution in real three-dimensional alveolar geometries
Mechanical ventilation is not only a life saving treatment but can also cause negative side effects. One of the main complications is inflammation caused by overstretching of the alveolar tissue. Previously, studies investigated either global strains or looked into which states lead to inflammatory reactions in cell cultures. However, the connection between the global deformation, of a tissue strip or the whole organ, and the strains reaching the single cells lining the alveolar walls is unknown and respective studies are still missing. The main reason for this is most likely the complex, sponge-like alveolar geometry, whose three-dimensional details have been unknown until recently. Utilizing synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy, we were able to generate real and detailed three-dimensional alveolar geometries on which we have performed finite-element simulations. This allowed us to determine, for the first time, a three-dimensional strain state within the alveolar wall. Briefly, precision-cut lung slices, prepared from isolated rat lungs, were scanned and segmented to provide a three-dimensional geometry. This was then discretized using newly developed tetrahedral elements. The main conclusions of this study are that the local strain in the alveolar wall can reach a multiple of the value of the global strain, for our simulations up to four times as high and that thin structures obviously cause hotspots that are especially at risk of overstretching
Multimodal imaging for the detection of sub-micron particles in the gas-exchange region of the mammalian lung
The deposition sites of inhaled aerosols in the gas-exchange region of the lung represent one of the key parameters needed for the understanding of the interaction between these particles and lung tissue. In order to develop a method for three-dimensional imaging of sub-micron particles in lung tissue we applied gold particles (200 and 700 nm) to rat lungs by intratracheal instillation. The samples were scanned at TOMCAT, the beamline for TOmographic Microscopy and Coherent rAdiology experimenTs at the Swiss Light Source. The 200 nm particles were slightly below the detection capabilities of TOMCAT. Therefore, their localization was obtained only by electron microscopy. At a voxel size of 350 nm we observed single and clustered gold particles (700 nm) in alveoli, alveolar ducts, and small bronchioli. The locations of the gold particles were veri_ed by transmission electron microscopical serial sections. We observed a very high correlation between these two imaging modalities. We conclude that a combination of x-ray tomographic microscopy and electron microscopy allows the full unrestricted 3D localization of particles smaller than the resolution of x-ray tomographic microscopy. We are planning to use this method for the verification of the simulation of particle deposition in the airway tree
Finite element 3D reconstruction of the pulmonary acinus imaged by synchrotron X-ray tomography
The alveolated structure of the pulmonary acinus plays a vital role in gas exchange function. Three-dimensional (3D) analysis of the parenchymal region is fundamental to understanding this structure-function relationship, but only a limited number of attempts have been conducted in the past because of technical limitations. In this study, we developed a new image processing methodology based on finite element (FE) analysis for accurate 3D structural reconstruction of the gas exchange regions of the lung. Stereologically well characterized rat lung samples (Pediatr Res 53: 72-80, 2003) were imaged using high-resolution synchrotron radiation-based X-ray tomographic microscopy. A stack of 1,024 images (each slice: 1024 x 1024 pixels) with resolution of 1.4 mum(3) per voxel were generated. For the development of FE algorithm, regions of interest (ROI), containing approximately 7.5 million voxels, were further extracted as a working subunit. 3D FEs were created overlaying the voxel map using a grid-based hexahedral algorithm. A proper threshold value for appropriate segmentation was iteratively determined to match the calculated volume density of tissue to the stereologically determined value (Pediatr Res 53: 72-80, 2003). The resulting 3D FEs are ready to be used for 3D structural analysis as well as for subsequent FE computational analyses like fluid dynamics and skeletonization
The simultaneous role of an alveolus as flow mixer and flow feeder for the deposition of inhaled submicron particles
In an effort to understand the fate of inhaled submicron particles in the small sacs, or alveoli, comprising the gas-exchange region of the lung, we calculated the flow in three-dimensional (3D) rhythmically expanding models of alveolated ducts. Since convection toward the alveolar walls is a precursor to particle deposition, it was the goal of this paper to investigate the streamline maps' dependence upon alveoli location along the acinar tree. On the alveolar midplane, the recirculating flow pattern exhibited closed streamlines with a stagnation saddle point. Off the midplane we found no closed streamlines but nested, funnel-like, spiral, structures (reminiscent of Russian nesting dolls) that were directed towards the expanding walls in inspiration, and away from the contracting walls in expiration. These nested, funnel-like, structures were surrounded by air that flowed into the cavity from the central channel over inspiration and flowed from the cavity to the central channel over expiration. We also found that fluid particle tracks exhibited similar nested funnel-like spiral structures. We conclude that these unique alveolar flow structures may be of importance in enhancing deposition. In addition, due to inertia, the nested, funnel-like, structures change shape and position slightly during a breathing cycle, resulting in flow mixing. Also, each inspiration feeds a fresh supply of particle-laden air from the central channel to the region surrounding the mixing region. Thus, this combination of flow mixer and flow feeder makes each individual alveolus an effective mixing unit, which is likely to play an important role in determining the overall efficiency of convective mixing in the acinus
On the path to the digital rock physics of gas hydrate-bearing sediments – processing of in situ synchrotron-tomography data
To date, very little is known about the distribution of
natural gas hydrates in sedimentary matrices and its influence on the seismic
properties of the host rock, in particular at low hydrate concentration.
Digital rock physics offers a unique approach to this issue yet requires good
quality, high-resolution 3-D representations for the accurate modeling of
petrophysical and transport properties. Although such models are readily
available via in situ synchrotron radiation X-ray tomography, the analysis of
such data asks for complex workflows and high computational power to maintain
valuable results. Here, we present a best-practice procedure complementing
data from Chaouachi et al. (2015)
with data post-processing, including image enhancement and segmentation as
well as exemplary numerical simulations of an acoustic wave propagation in
3-D using the derived results. A combination of the tomography and 3-D
modeling opens a path to a more reliable deduction of properties of gas hydrate-bearing sediments without a reliance on idealized and frequently
imprecise models