Deciphering ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm hemodynamics in relation to biomechanical properties

The degeneration of the arterial wall at the basis of the ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) is a complex multifactorial process, which may lead to clinical complications and, ultimately, death. Individual genetic, biological or hemodynamic factors are inadequate to explain the heterogeneity of ATAA development/progression mechanisms, thus stimulating the analysis of their complex interplay. Here the disruption of the hemodynamic environment in the ATAA is investigated integrating patient-specific computational hemodynamics, CT-based in vivo estimation of local aortic stiffness and advanced fluid mechanics methods of analysis. The final aims are (1) deciphering the ATAA spatiotemporal hemodynamic complexity and its link to near-wall topological features, and (2) identifying the existing links between arterial wall degeneration and hemodynamic insult. Technically, two methodologies are applied to computational hemodynamics data, the wall shear stress (WSS) topological skeleton analysis, and the Complex Networks theory. The same analysis was extended to the healthy aorta. As main findings of the study, we report that: (1) different spatiotemporal heterogeneity characterizes the ATAA and healthy hemodynamics, that markedly reflect on their WSS topological skeleton features; (2) a link (stronger than canonical WSS-based descriptors) emerges between the variation of contraction/expansion action exerted by WSS on the endothelium along the cardiac cycle, and ATAA wall stiffness. The findings of the study suggest the use of advanced methods for a deeper understanding of the hemodynamics disruption in ATAA, and candidate WSS topological skeleton features as promising indicators of local wall degeneration.