title: Semiautomated finite element mesh generation methods for a long bone.
abstract: The objective of this work was to develop and test a semi-automated finite element mesh generation method using computed tomography (CT) image data of a canine radius. The present study employs a direct conversion from CT Hounsfield units to elastic moduli. Our method attempts to minimize user interaction and eliminate the need for mesh smoothing to produce a model suitable for finite element analysis. Validation of the computational model was conducted by loading the CT-imaged canine radius in four-point bending and using strain gages to record resultant strains that were then compared to strains calculated with the computational model. Geometry-based and uniform modulus voxel-based models were also constructed from the same imaging data set and compared. The nonuniform voxel-based model most accurately predicted the axial strain response of the sample bone (R(2)=0.9764).
authors.affiliation: Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC, United States.
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Pfeiler
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lalush
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Loboa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002102:Cadaver; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004285:Dogs; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D009657:North Carolina; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed