Effect of macro-calcification on the failure mechanics of intracranial aneurysmal wall tissue.

Background: Calcification was recently found to be present in the majority of cerebral aneurysms, though how calcification and the presence or absence of co-localized lipid pools affect failure properties is still unknown.

Objective: The primary objective is to quantify the biomechanical effect of a macro-calcification with surrounding Near-Calcification Region (NCR) of varying mechanical properties on tissue failure behavior.

Methods: We utilized a structurally informed finite element model to simulate pre-failure and failure behavior of a human cerebral tissue specimen modeled as a composite containing a macro-calcification and surrounding NCR, embedded in a fiber matrix composite. Data from multiple imaging modalities was combined to quantify the collagen organization and calcification geometry. An idealized parametric model utilizing the calibrated model was used to explore the impact of NCR properties on tissue failure.

Results: Compared to tissue without calcification, peak stress was reduced by 82% and 49% for low modulus (representing lipid pool) and high modulus (simulating increase in calcification size) of the NCR, respectively. Failure process strongly depended on NCR properties with lipid pools blunting the onset of complete failure. When the NCR was calcified, the sample was able to sustain larger overall stress, however the failure process was abrupt with nearly simultaneous failure of the loaded fibers.

Conclusions: Failure of calcified vascular tissue is strongly influenced by the ultrastructure in the vicinity of the calcification. Computational modeling of failure in fibrous soft tissues can be used to understand how pathological changes impact the tissue failure process, with potentially important clinical implications.