The respiratory sub-system of the human body functions as both a gas exchanger and a foreign particle filter. The tracheobronchial region acts as an air conduit to move gas and particles to the main site of gas exchange in the lower lung, and is the body’s first line of defense against airborne pathogens. As a result, the walls of these air conduits are the primary site of lung tumors and airway restrictions caused by respiratory diseases. The main sites of gas exchange are the alveoli, which are tiny air sacs clustered like grapes distal to the terminal bronchioles – the smallest air conduits in the lung whose total surface area would approximately cover a tennis court. Understanding the mechanics of how the lung functions and the dynamics of air and particle movement through the lung is critical to our understanding of airborne diseases. With this understanding, clinicians can better protect the population from allergens, biological weapon spores and industrial environmental hazards, and treat patients with high-tech inhalable drugs.
The presentation will cover the research that is currently underway at RIT. These projects include: creating replica lung models using MRI, CT, cryogenic images, lung casting and medical illustration; computational fluid and particle dynamics to predict particle deposition; particle image velocimetry, an experimental technique used to map the velocity field; and analytical methods used to simulate the altered physiological state and morphometry of the diseased lung; predicting differences in particle deposition and increased health risks for patients suffering from respiratory diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema asthma.