Theoretical Models for the Quantification of Lung Injury Using Ventilation and Perfusion Distributions

• Main Authors: B. S. Brook, C. M. Murphy, D. Breen, A. W. Miles, D. G. Tilley, A. J. Wilson
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2009-01-01
• Series: Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17486700802201592

This paper describes two approaches to modelling lung disease: one based on a multi-compartment statistical model with a log normal distribution of ventilation perfusion ratio (V˙/Q˙) values; and the other on a bifurcating tree which emulates the anatomical structure of the lung. In the statistical model, the distribution becomes bimodal, when the V˙/Q˙ values of a randomly selected number of compartments are reduced by 85% to simulate lung disease. For the bifurcating tree model a difference in flow to the left and right branches coupled with a small random variation in flow ratio between generations results in a log normal distribution of flows in the terminal branches. Restricting flow through branches within the tree to simulate lung disease transforms this log normal distribution to a bi-modal one. These results are compatible with those obtained from experiments using the multiple inert gas elimination technique, where log normal distributions of V˙/Q˙ ratio become bimodal in the presence of lung disease.