Modelling cerebral blood flow and perfusion during acute ischaemic stroke

Every year, millions of people suffer a stroke, often resulting in disability or death. Stroke is currently the second leading cause of death worldwide. Stroke survivors are often chronically disabled and may require lifelong care. Understanding how a stroke affects the brain and (long term) patient outcome can help develop and improve treatments for stroke.
This thesis focusses on modelling arterial blood flow to the brain and perfusion of brain tissue during acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). Understanding how blood flow and tissue perfusion are affected by a clot will contribute to the development and improvement of treatment for AIS. The models developed in this thesis are put to use in the context of in silico trials for AIS, and can thus contribute to improving treatment options for stroke patients.
Modelling cerebral blood flow and perfusion after AIS requires the coupling of models on multiple scales. Large vessels can be modelled as simple elastic tubes while the microcirculation is often modelled as a porous medium. Various effects that affect patient outcome also have to be included to accurately make predictions of patient outcome. This thesis focuses on the development of cerebral blood flow models, their coupling, and the modelling of various effects that affect patient outcome after an AIS.