Figure 1.

(a) A general three-dimensional one inlet–one outlet pulsatile vascular component is described by its physical parameters: fluidic density ρ, viscosity μ, wall elastic modulus E, characteristic length l and the flow rate Q(t). (b) The same vascular segment described in the lumped element domain. Elastic, inertial and viscous properties are represented by compliance C, inertance L and resistance R. The characteristic length, l, is related to the body surface area of the species, as described in the text.