Patient-specific modeling of cardiovascular dynamics with a major role for adaptation

Over the last few decades, technological developments have made diagnostic information of the cardiovascular system far more detailed. These improvements are prominently attributed to the general availability of many imaging techniques, such as ultrasonic echo imaging, computer tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). After primary diagnosis, treatment starts by following a protocol that is considered best, given the available information. Following the standard route, such protocol is a result of empirical clinical studies, where effects of different treatments are compared statistically in large groups of patients with similar pathology. With increase of diagnostic detail, groups become less uniform, forcing us to make the subgroups smaller and more numerous. Due to the technological improvements, the choice and possible graduation of therapeutic interventions increase too. As a result, with the conventional epidemiological setup of such studies, it will ever be more difficult to reach the level of significance for obtaining better treatment protocols.