Systems and methods for vessel reactivity to guide diagnosis or treatment of cardiovascular disease

1. A computer-implemented method of determining a blood flow characteristic, the method comprising:

receiving image data of one or more blood vessels of a patient, the image data being obtained while the patient's body is at a first physiological state;

generating a patient-specific vascular model of the one or more blood vessels from the image data obtained while the patient's body is at the first physiological state;

determining a mechanical response of a portion of a vessel wall associated with a second physiological state, the second physiological state caused by a change from the first physiological state at a location other than the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the mechanical response of the portion of the vessel wall including at least one of a response to a change in blood flow associated with the second physiological state, a response to a change in blood pressure associated with the second physiological state, or a response to medication associated with the second physiological state;

updating the patient-specific vascular model of the one or more blood vessels based on the determined mechanical response; and

determining a blood flow characteristic through the one or more blood vessels of the patient based on the updated patient-specific vascular model.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a first vessel resistance at the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the first vessel resistance associated with the first physiological state;

determining a second vessel resistance at the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the second vessel resistance associated with the second physiological state; and

determining the mechanical response based on a difference between the first vessel resistance and the second vessel resistance.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating a value of vessel reactivity based on the determined mechanical response.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the blood flow characteristic includes fractional flow reserve.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first physiological state includes a resting patient state.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second physiological state includes a hyperemic state, an exercise state, a postprandial state, a gravitational state, an emotional stress state, a state of hypertension, a medicated state, or a combination thereof.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more blood vessels includes peripheral arteries.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting a treatment using the determined blood flow characteristic and the determined mechanical response of the portion of the vessel wall.

9. A system for determining a blood flow characteristic, the system comprising:

a data storage device storing instructions for determining a blood flow characteristic; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method including:

receiving image data of one or more blood vessels of a patient, the image data being obtained while the patient's body is at a first physiological state;

generating a patient-specific vascular model of the one or more blood vessels from the image data obtained while the patient's body is at the first physiological state;

determining a mechanical response of a portion of a vessel wall associated with a second physiological state, the second physiological state caused by a change from the first physiological state at a location other than the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the mechanical response of the portion of the vessel wall including at least one of a response to a change in blood flow associated with the second physiological state, a response to a change in blood pressure associated with the second physiological state, or a response to medication associated with the second physiological state;

updating the patient-specific vascular model of the one or more blood vessels based on the determined mechanical response; and

determining a blood flow characteristic through the one or more blood vessels of the patient based on the updated patient-specific vascular model.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system is further configured for:

determining a first vessel resistance at the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the first vessel resistance associated with the first physiological state;

determining a second vessel resistance at the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the second vessel resistance associated with the second physiological state; and

determining the mechanical response based on a difference between the first vessel resistance and the second vessel resistance.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system is further configured for:

calculating a value of vessel reactivity based on the determined mechanical response.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the blood flow characteristic includes fractional flow reserve.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first physiological state includes a resting patient state.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second physiological state includes a hyperemic state, an exercise state, a postprandial state, a gravitational state, an emotional stress state, a state of hypertension, a medicated state, or a combination thereof.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more blood vessels includes peripheral arteries.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system is further configured for:

selecting a treatment using the determined blood flow characteristic and the determined mechanical response of the portion of the vessel wall.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium for use on a computer system containing computer-executable programming instructions for performing a method of determining a blood flow characteristic, the method comprising:

receiving image data of one or more blood vessels of a patient, the image data being obtained while the patient's body is at a first physiological state;

generating a patient-specific vascular model of the one or more blood vessels from the image data obtained while the patient's body is at the first physiological state;

determining a mechanical response of a portion of a vessel wall associated with a second physiological state, the second physiological state caused by a change from the first physiological state at a location other than the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the mechanical response of the portion of the vessel wall including at least one of a response to a change in blood flow associated with the second physiological state, a response to a change in blood pressure associated with the second physiological state, or a response to medication associated with the second physiological state;

updating the patient-specific vascular model of the one or more blood vessels based on the determined mechanical response; and

determining a blood flow characteristic through the one or more blood vessels of the patient based on the updated patient-specific vascular model.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , the method further comprising:

determining a first vessel resistance at the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the first vessel resistance associated with the first physiological state;

determining a second vessel resistance at the location of the portion of the vessel wall, the second vessel resistance associated with the second physiological state; and

determining the mechanical response based on a difference between the first vessel resistance and the second vessel resistance.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , the method further comprising:

calculating a value of vessel reactivity based on the determined mechanical response.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the blood flow characteristic includes fractional flow reserve.