A robust protocol for the creation of patient-specific finite element models of the musculoskeletal system from medical imaging data

Abstract

A robust, accurate and flexible computational protocol to create personalised finite element models of musculoskeletal systems from medical images is presented. A contour-based geometrical reconstruction well suited to the complex and intrinsic character of living biological tissues and structures is used. The 3D surface model is decomposed into a number of stripes considered as quasi-developable domains which can be, therefore, meshed in a 2D parametric space. Once all boundary domains have been meshed, nodes are projected on a Hermite bicubic patch model derived from the segmentation points. A specific procedure to handle branching structures is proposed. In a final step, a tetrahedron mesh is generated and the mechanical properties could be assigned. Case studies using magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography data are carried out and demonstrated. Results of the protocol are presented and discussed.