A blood-mimicking fluid for particle image velocimetry with silicone vascular models

• DOI: 10.1007/s00348-010-0958-1
• Publication Date: 2010-08-28T00:45:29Z
• Authors: Majid Y. Yousif; David W. Holdsworth; Tamie L. Poepping
• Keywords: 0206 medical engineering; 02 engineering and technology

For accurate particle image velocimetry measurements in hemodynamics studies, it is important to use a fluid with a refractive index (n) matching that of the vascular models (phantoms) and ideally a dynamic viscosity matching human blood. In this work, a blood-mimicking fluid (BMF) composed of water, glycerol, and sodium iodide was formulated for a range of refractive indices to match most common silicone elastomers (n = 1.40–1.43) and with corresponding dynamic viscosity within the average cited range of healthy human blood (4.4 ± 0.5 cP). Both refractive index and viscosity were attained at room temperature (22.2 ± 0.2°C), which eliminates the need for a temperature-control system. An optimally matched BMF, suitable for use in a vascular phantom (n = 1.4140 ± 0.0008, Sylgard 184), was demonstrated with composition (by weight) of 47.38% water, 36.94% glycerol (44:56 glycerol–water ratio), and 15.68% sodium iodide salt, resulting in a dynamic viscosity of 4.31 ± 0.03 cP.