title: Novel human intervertebral disc strain template to quantify regional three-dimensional strains in a population and compare to internal strains predicted by a finite element model.
abstract: Tissue strain is an important indicator of mechanical function, but is difficult to noninvasively measure in the intervertebral disc. The objective of this study was to generate a disc strain template, a 3D average of disc strain, of a group of human L4-L5 discs loaded in axial compression. To do so, magnetic resonance images of uncompressed discs were used to create an average disc shape. Next, the strain tensors were calculated pixel-wise by using a previously developed registration algorithm. Individual disc strain tensor components were then transformed to the template space and averaged to create the disc strain template. The strain template reduced individual variability while highlighting group trends. For example, higher axial and circumferential strains were present in the lateral and posterolateral regions of the disc, which may lead to annular tears. This quantification of group-level trends in local 3D strain is a significant step forward in the study of disc biomechanics. These trends were compared to a finite element model that had been previously validated against the disc-level mechanical response. Depending on the strain component, 81-99% of the regions within the finite element model had calculated strains within one standard deviation of the template strain results. The template creation technique provides a new measurement technique useful for a wide range of studies, including more complex loading conditions, the effect of disc pathologies and degeneration, damage mechanisms, and design and evaluation of treatments. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1264-1273, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104.
authors.forename: Brent L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Showalter
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: DeLucca
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Peloquin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716.
authors.forename: Daniel H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104.
authors.forename: Jonathon H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoder
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104.
authors.forename: Nathan T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104.
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Vresilovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716.
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016474:Weight-Bearing
keywords: finite element model; image registration; internal disc strain; intervertebral disc mechanics; magnetic resonance imaging