Vascular impedance analysis in human pulmonary circulation.

Vascular impedance is determined by morphometry and mechanical properties of the vascular system, as well as the rheology of the blood. The interactions between all these factors are complicated and difficult to investigate solely by experiments. A mathematical model representing the entire system of human pulmonary circulation was constructed based on experimentally measured morphometric and elasticity data of the vessels. The model consisted of 16 orders of arteries and 15 orders of veins. The pulmonary arteries and veins were considered as elastic tubes and their impedance was calculated based on Womersley's theory. The flow in capillaries was described by the "sheet-flow" theory. The model yielded an impedance modulus spectrum that fell steeply from a high value at 0 Hz to a minimum around 1.5 Hz. At about 4 Hz, it reached a second high and then oscillated around a relatively small value at higher frequencies. Characteristic impedance was 27.9 dyn-sec/cm5. Influence of variations in vessel geometry and elasticity on impedance spectra was analyzed. Simulation results showed good agreement with experimental measurements.