| Pulmonary hypertension is a rare, progressive and often fatal disease, for which the therapeutic options are limited. The study of pulmonary hypertension and the evaluation of new therapeutics have been hindered until now by a lack of a quantitative description of the cardiac and pulmonary circulation. The purpose of our study will be to identify the quantitative effects of the principal cardiac and pulmonary vascular variables involved in the development of pulmonary hypertension making it possible to direct new therapeutical strategies by means of a rational approach. Therefore, we use a mathematical model based on flow and pressure wave analysis. Flow waves in the pulmonary artery are measured by means of MRI whereas pressure waves are measured by means of right heart catherisation. After assessing the validity of the model, the clinical value of this model-based approach will be studied with special focus on the differential diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and in the study the effects of new therapeutics. |
