An image-based anatomical network model and modelling of circulation of mouse retinal vasculature

Abstract

The paper presents an image-based network model of retinal vasculature taking account of the 3D vascular distribution of the retina. Mouse retinas were prepared using flat-mount technique and vascular images were obtained using confocal microscopy. The vascular morphometric information obtained from confocal images was used for the model development. The network model developed directly represents the vascular geometry of all the large vessels of the arteriolar and venular trees and models the capillaries using uniformly distributed meshes. The vasculatures in different layers of the retina, namely the superficial, intermediate and deep layer, were modelled separately in the network and were linked through connecting vessels. The branching data of the vasculatures was recorded using the method of connectivity matrix of network (the graph theory). Such an approach is able to take into account the detailed vasculature of individual retinas concerned. Using such network model, circulation analyses to predict the spatial distribution of the pressure, flow, hematocrit, apparent viscosity and wall shear stress in the entire retinal vasculature can be carried out. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.