The Construction of Three-dimensional Composite Finite Element Mechanical Model of Human Left Ventricle

Cardiomechanics deals with the motion and functioning of the heart. How the heart performs as a pump depends largely on the contractile activity of its wall muscle, the myocardium. The mechanical properties of myocardial fibers depend highly on their fibrous structures and activity status. Considered the myocardial fiber orientation, a three-dimensional finite element mechanical model of human left ventricle is constructed based on composite theory and an electrical model of heart, and the computing issues of the active force and after-load are discussed. Finally the mechanical response of the left ventricle subjected to the normal active force is simulated, and the results are compared with solutions obtained from MR tagging images and those from other models. It proves that the given model can be used to study the mechanical function of the left ventricle, and it lays a good foundation for construction of virtual heart with electro-physiological and mechanical properties.