Meeting Abstract
The anatomy of the bird lung is highly complex and has fascinated scientists for centuries. Although the overall patterns of airflow within the avian lung are well established for major conducting airways, measurements cannot be made in all parts of the lung. Furthermore, aerodynamic mechanisms that give rise to these patterns of flow are not fully understood. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a technique which calculates patterns of flow based on the Navier-Stokes equations, may provide insight into patterns of flow where empirical measurements are difficult to make. Furthermore, CFD models can provide insight into the mechanisms underpinning the aerodynamic valves, as well as patterns of flow under different boundary conditions, for example, simulating exercise and panting. A crucial step in developing a CFD model is to faithfully represent this complex anatomy mathematically. The extreme complexity of the avian respiratory system has made this a daunting undertaking and previous CFD models have simplified the anatomy. Micro-computed tomography data were collected on an African grey parrot infused with BrightVu® contrast agent. A three-dimensional surface model was then generated by segmenting regions of interest in the left lung. This has allowed for extremely precise anatomical measurements to be made, laying the foundation for future development of a CFD model. The cross-sectional areas of the ostial openings off the primary bronchus and branching angles of all secondary bronchi, including four ventrobronchi, nine dorsobronchi, and three latero-bronchi were measured digitally. Moving cranial to caudal in the primary bronchus, the ostia increase in diameter in successive ventrobronchi, and decrease in diameter in the dorsobronchi.
