Influence of polivinylalcohol cryogel material model in FEM simulations on deformation of LV phantom

Abstract

One of the available tools for validation of strain imaging methods are physical phantoms, most frequently produced of polivinylalcohol cryogel (PVA). This material was often assumed to exhibit elastic properties, but it has more complex nature. In this work we examine the influence of the applied material model – elastic vs hyperelastic – on the strains within the numerical model of the phantom obtained from FEM. This influence appeared significant – hyperelastic model provides lower strain contrasts and also the ratios between radial, circumferential and longitudinal strains differ for both models.