Figure 6.

Recirculation of velocity streamlines is more prevalent in sickle cell anemia. Patient-specific velocity streamlines during systole are depicted for the 3-D vascular models with recirculations (circles) and vortexes (squares) magnified for easier viewing. The non-sickle subject’s (P1) artery is completely void of any regions of fluid recirculation (a). The first sickle subject (P2) has fluid recirculating at multiple locations near the inner curvature of bifurcations: specifically at the ACA (1), MCA (2), and M2-A (3) arterial segments. A vortex is also observed in the M2-B segment (4) (b). The second subject has recirculation occurring at the ICA stenosis (1), and the MCA (3) following the ICA bifurcation. Vortexes are observed along the ICA (2) and at the MCA bifurcation (4) (c). Scale bar is shown