A Framework for Determination of Heart Valves' Mechanical Properties Using Inverse-Modeling Approach

Heart valves play a very important role in the functioning of the heart and many of the heart failures are related to the valvular dysfunctions, e.g. aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation. Relationship between the biomechanical properties of valve leaflets and their function has long been established, however, determining these properties in a non-invasive manner remains a challenge. Here we present a framework for such a tool for biomechanical properties determination. We use an inverse-modeling approach, where the only input is through imaging the leaflet tissue as it is loaded naturally during its functional cycle. Using a structural model for the leaflet material behavior allows us to reduce the number of parameters to be determined to only two, which in addition to dramatically reducing the computational time also allows one to visualize the cost function and the minimization process. We close with discussion about the contributions of the current framework and other constituents needed to make it a clinically viable tool.