title: [Designing the construction of an FE model exemplified by the knee joint].
abstract: For the scientific investigation of the problems encountered in joint arthroplasty, routine use is made of clinical follow-up of patients, studies on cadaver specimens, and simulation with the aid of technical or mathematical models. An appropriate method for the stress analysis of the musculoskeletal system is the finite element method (FE method), since it is free from any restrictions in terms of the geometry of the structure to be studied. The development of a finite element model of the knee joint on the basis of computer tomography data is described. Using this method, intra-osseous stress distribution within the bones, contact stresses and the articulating surfaces between bones and implants for various boundary conditions can be calculated. For the development of such an FE model, the exterior and interior structure/geometry of the bones and implants, and the muscular forces involved, must be known. With this in mind, a method enabling the determination of surface coordinates of the knee joint from CT scans is presented. Using the special CAD-FE program I-DEASTM, plane slices and then the 3D CAD model are generated from these coordinates. After appropriate processing, the CAD model can be meshed with tetrahedral or brick elements.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie, Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kullmer
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Richard
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D012984:Software; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
vernacular_title: Darstellung der Konstruktion eines FE-Modells am Beispiel des Kniegelenkes.