Abstract View
3-D Surface Mesh Model to Predict Aerosolized Contaminant Fate and Transport in the Human Respiratory System
JACKY ROSATI ROWE, Ray Burton, Rob McCauley, Wei Tang, US EPA, ORD
Abstract Number: 132
Working Group: Health-Related Aerosols
Abstract
We have developed a comprehensive, three-dimensional surface mesh model of the human respiratory system. This novel, public model is an important advancement in the field of aerosolized contaminant transport, deposition, and clearance in the human respiratory system. The model addresses sex, age, and human physiology from the nares through the 9th generation of the lung. Algorithms that learn from the upper lung generation data (generations 0-9) are then used to develop the 10th-23rd generations needed to complete the lung. Multiple sets of human data were used to ensure the model is representative of the general population; previously identified surface or physiological anomalies due to scan inaccuracies, movement, resolution and/or human disease have been removed. The model allows for nasal or mouth breathing with a physiologically accurate mouth, tongue, gums and uvula. Additionally, the complete model physiology allows for expansion and contraction during the breathing process.
A user interface has been developed to allow researchers and the broader health community simplified access to this model and the associated data. The user inputs specifics such as sex, age, and the physical parameters they are investigating into the interface. A surface model is then generated that includes the nasal and oral cavities, pharynx, larynx, trachea, and three airway paths an average of 23 generations deep into each of the five lobes. This specific surface model is then exported to a standard stereolithography (STL) CAD file format. While available for use in many broad applications, current research is using this surface mesh model as the basis for computational fluid dynamics models to investigate respiratory drug delivery, PM based aerosol exposure/dose determinations, and respiratory flow visualization. The model is also being considered for use in respiratory surgery simulations.