MATHEMATICAL-MODELING OF THE HUMAN FETAL CARDIOVASCULAR-SYSTEM BASED ON DOPPLER ULTRASOUND DATA

A lumped parameter model of the human foetal circulation primarily bas ed on blood velocity data derived from the Doppler analysis was develo ped in this study. It consists of two major parts, the heart and the f oetal vascular circulation. The heart model accounts for both ventricu lar and atrial contractility. The circulation was divided into 19 comp liant vascular compartments in order to describe all of the clinically monitored sites. The model parameters refer to the final gestation pe riod and were derived either from literature on foetal sheep circulati on or from anatomical dimension monitoring of the human foetus. No con trol mechanism is incorporated into the model. The model was validated by comparing-several index values of simulated velocity curves to tho se of the experimental Doppler waveforms. The mean and maximum percent ual errors in the estimation of the experimental results by the model are 7.7% and 20.1%, respectively. Velocity and pressure tracings of th e foetal circulation were investigated, as well as regional bloodflow rate distribution. (C) 1991 LPEM. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.