Computational Analyses of Airway Flow and Lung Tissue Dynamics

The function of the mammalian respiratory system is the facilitation the transfer of gas exchange between the organism's environment and its internal transport medium, the blood. Evolutionary processes have optimized the anatomic structure of the lung as a tree-like branching network of airways terminating in thin-walled elastic ducts and alveoli, where this gas exchange occurs. Both dissipative and elastic properties of the respiratory system contribute to its unique static and dynamic mechanical behavior. In this chapter, we will explore the various structural and functional relationships of the respiratory system, and review several computational and modeling analyses that provide insight into the pathophysiology of common respiratory diseases. Particular emphasis is placed on studies that utilize imaging to help understand and/or validate the distributed regional nature of lung function.