Skip to content
Technical University of Munich

Reduced-dimensional overall lung model

up

Christian Roth, Lena Yoshihara and Volker Gravemaier

Full lung modeling is a challenging topic. However, by means of such a comprehensive approach physicians are enabled to better understand the complicated behavior of lungs. Thus allowing for unique patient-specific treatments based on the patient's detailed lung geometry. The challenge is related to the fact that human lungs can have up to 16 generations of conducting airways connected to more than 20,000 acini. The acini in turn are composed of 400 to 900 million alveoli, with a gas exchange area of 50 to 100 m2. The consituents of our modeling approach are summarized in the following.

  • space-filling airways
Lung dissection showing the airway trees inside
  • Reduced-dimensional airways
Airway pressure distribution during spontaneous breathing.
  • Impedance models
Lung lobes modeled using impedance trees
  • 3D-0D coupling method
3D trachea couple to 0D lobular airways.
  • Acinar models
Detailed full lung model with acinar models connected to the terminal airways.
To top