3-D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling for the transport of chemotherapeutic drugs in the human brain

Abstract

A three dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the Fall Cerebri and a composite cylinder representing gray matter and white matter of the human brain is developed to predict the transport of interstitial infusion of chemotherapeutic drugs. Brain tissues are treated as porous media and characterized by the porosity and the resistance coefficient. White matter, which is anisotropic in nature due to the presence of axon fibers, has different properties in longitudinal and transverse directions. Anisotropy has been defined as the ratio of resistance coefficients in longitudinal and transverse directions. The transport of the drug in white and gray matter is governed by convection and/or diffusion. Temporal and spatial mass concentration of the drug is determined in each case. It was observed that bulk flow or convection enhanced delivery (CED) was more effective for the increase of mass concentration and penetration of the drug molecules into the brain. Also, in white matter penetration of the drug molecules in the fiber direction was greater than penetration in the transverse direction. Obtaining an analytical solution will be incorporated in the next phase of the research.