Computational Approach for Verification of Aortic Wall Tear Size on CT Contrast Distribution in Patients with Type B Aortic Dissection—The Preliminary Study

The purpose of this research was to prepare a preliminary mathematical approach for the identification and analysis of the gap distribution using changes in brightness on CT and spatial analysis of the aorta. We used AngioCT data from three male patients, 45 to 65 years of age, with acute type IIIb aortic dissection that originated near the left subclavian artery and involved the renal arteries. The analysis was performed on CT slides from the descending aorta to the diaphragm. Each time Feret DF diameter, width of gap in dissection and average brightness BAV were analyzed. Finally, to describe the influence of the gap distribution in the area of aortic wall dissection, a mathematical function was calculated that combined the difference in brightness value and the gap width for each CT scan. The results showed that there is a positive correlation between the width of the gap (tear) within the dissected aorta and the brightness coefficient. The gathered results also stress that the most accurate data are when the gaps in the dissected wall are equally distributed throughout the dissection and are not concentrated in a few areas within the dissection. In summary, our data show that there may be a correlation between the width of the gap and the brightness coefficient calculated from CT scans that may also be used for the prognosis of hemodynamic changes within the dissection. In addition, we also highlight the need for the appropriate number of patients incorporated for computational analysis of spatial configuration of gaps in the dissected aorta, as too few cases can lead to misleading results.