Abstract
A three-dimensional FE analysis of four adjacent cervical vertebrae (C1-C4) has been developed. The model is composed of vertebrae and skull but disc ligaments were not considered. The aim of this research is to address the new advancements in the finite element mesh generation of the human cervical spine. The procedure for creating a finite element model based on available biomedical closed volumes obtained from CT scans is introduced.
Highlights
The human spine is a complex structure whose principal functions are to protect the spinal cord and transfer loads from the head and trunk to the pelvis [1]
The finite element model has been used as an effective tool in human spine biomechanics
To generate the FE closed volume geometry of the bone structure, segmentation mask during image processing of medical computed tomography (CT) data is currently conducted by using specialist software such as 3D Slicer [2] or Mimics [3], and the specific meshing procedure with software such as OsiriX [4] or MeshLab [5]. 3D Slicer is an open source software platform for medical image informatics, image processing, and three-dimensional visualization
Summary
The human spine is a complex structure whose principal functions are to protect the spinal cord and transfer loads from the head and trunk to the pelvis [1]. Advancements in numerical methods during the last decade have enabled researchers to propose more accurate models of the cervical spine. The finite element model has been used as an effective tool in human spine biomechanics.
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