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Advances in the application of four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging combined with computational fluid dynamics in vascular diseases
LI Xian  WANG Tao  DONG Chengzhou  JIANG Xinyu  ZHAO Wei 

Cite this article as LI X, WANG T, DONG C Z, et al. Advances in the application of four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging combined with computational fluid dynamics in vascular diseases[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2026, 17(6): 173-179. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.06.022.


[Abstract] The occurrence and progression of vascular pathophysiological events are closely related to hemodynamics. Hemodynamic parameters have important prognostic value and clinical guidance significance. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging (4D Flow MRI) both enable direct, visual simulation and numerical quantification of hemodynamic states within human blood vessels. CFD relies on numerical solution methods to simulate complex flow field structures at high spatial resolution, but its results are highly dependent on vascular geometric reconstruction and boundary condition definitions. Conversely, 4D Flow MRI non-invasively acquires patient-specific blood flow velocity fields and anatomical information, providing a basis for constructing more physiologically realistic boundary conditions. Therefore, integrating 4D Flow MRI with CFD for hemodynamic numerical simulation offers significant research value and clinical application potential. This paper reviews the research progress and clinical application prospects of integrating these two technologies in vascular diseases. It also highlights the limitations of current research and analyzes future research directions, providing new insights for future studies.
[Keywords] magnetic resonance imaging；four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging；computational fluid dynamics；hemodynamics；vascular diseases

LI Xian   WANG Tao   DONG Chengzhou   JIANG Xinyu   ZHAO Wei*  

Department of Medical Imaging, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, China

Corresponding author: ZHAO W, E-mail: kyyyzhaowei@foxmail.com

Conflicts of interest   None.

Received  2026-03-04
Accepted  2026-05-14
DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.06.022
Cite this article as LI X, WANG T, DONG C Z, et al. Advances in the application of four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging combined with computational fluid dynamics in vascular diseases[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2026, 17(6): 173-179. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.06.022.

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