Musculoskeletal finite element (FE) analysis is an invaluable tool in orthopedic-related research. While it has provided significant biomechanical insight, the demands associated with modeling the geometrically complex structures of the human body often limit its utility. The often-prohibitive amount of model development time is further compounded by the time required to process medical image datasets to identify the distinct anatomical structures of interest. Yet this process is a necessary preprocessing step for model development. As a result, most of the analyses reported in the literature refer to 'average' bone geometry. The broad objective of our research plan is to integrate and expand methods to automate the development of specimen- / patient-specific finite element (FE) models into the NA-MIC toolkit. In pursuit of this objective we propose to merge unique technologies to automate image dataset segmentation; material property extraction and assignment; and direct FE model development (automated meshing). While direct physical scans of the bones of interest will be used to validate the automated image segmentation routines, experimental cadaveric contact stress measurements will provide a standard against which to validate the FE contact formulations. Furthermore, the FE models generated by our software package will be compared to models of the same bone(s) created via a commercial pre-processing package. While the bones/joints of the upper extremity represent the primary structures of interest proposed in this application, the tools will be applicable to many orthopedic applications. In addition to expanding the NA-MIC toolkit beyond the brain, the proposed project will expand the image segmentation routines and finite element meshing routines currently available. This proposal will ultimately yield specimen-specific FE models of the various joints of the upper extremity. Such models will position us to provide information about the load transfer, characteristics of the normal joints and in the future to demonstrate, for example, the effects of ligamentous instabilities, posttraumatic misalignments, fractures, and various surgical procedures. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01EB005973-01A1
Application #
7170164
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BST-E (50))
Program Officer
Cohen, Zohara
Project Start
2006-09-20
Project End
2010-06-30
Budget Start
2006-09-20
Budget End
2007-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$533,896
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Iowa
Department
Orthopedics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
062761671
City
Iowa City
State
IA
Country
United States
Zip Code
52242
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Shivanna, Kiran H; Tadepalli, Srinivas C; Grosland, Nicole M (2010) FEATURE-BASED MULTIBLOCK FINITE ELEMENT MESH GENERATION. Comput Aided Des 42:1108-1116
Tadepalli, Srinivas C; Shivanna, Kiran H; Magnotta, Vincent A et al. (2010) Toward the development of virtual surgical tools to aid orthopaedic FE analyses. EURASIP J Adv Signal Process 2010:1902931-1902937
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Devries, Nicole A; Shivanna, Kiran H; Tadepalli, Srinivas C et al. (2009) Ia-FEMesh: anatomic FE models--a check of mesh accuracy and validity. Iowa Orthop J 29:48-54
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Grosland, Nicole M; Bafna, Ritesh; Magnotta, Vincent A (2009) Automated hexahedral meshing of anatomic structures using deformable registration. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin 12:35-43
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DeVries, Nicole A; Gassman, Esther E; Kallemeyn, Nicole A et al. (2008) Validation of phalanx bone three-dimensional surface segmentation from computed tomography images using laser scanning. Skeletal Radiol 37:35-42