Computational analysis of lung deformation after murine pneumonectomy

Abstract

In many mammalian species, the removal of one lung (pneumonectomy) is associated with the compensatory growth of the remaining lung. To investigate the hypothesis that parenchymal deformation may trigger lung regeneration, we used microCT scanning to create 3D finite element geometric models of the murine lung pre- and post-pneumonectomy (24 h). The structural correspondence between models was established using anatomic landmarks and an iterative computational algorithm. When compared with the pre-pneumonectomy lung, the post-pneumonectomy models demonstrated significant translation and rotation of the cardiac lobe into the post-pneumonectomy pleural space. 2D maps of lung deformation demonstrated significant heterogeneity; the areas of greatest deformation were present in the subpleural regions of the lobe. Consistent with the previously identified growth patterns, subpleural regions of enhanced deformation are compatible with a mechanical signal – likely involving parenchymal stretch – triggering lung growth.

Keywords::

• finite element
• lung
• image registration
• regeneration
• pneumonectomy

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Corrigendum

Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by NIH Grants HL94567, HL75426, HL07734 and HL54885. The authors would like to thank Karen Inouye, Dr. Gokhan Hotamisligil and Dr. Mi-Ae Park for their invaluable assistance in microCT imaging.

Notes

¹ Email: [email protected].

² Email: [email protected].

³ Email: [email protected].

⁴ Email: [email protected].

⁵ Email: [email protected].

Notice of Correction: This version has been corrected. Please see Corrigendum DOI: 10.1080/10255842.2012.744444