title: Automatic CT-based finite element model generation for temperature-based death time estimation: feasibility study and sensitivity analysis.
abstract: Temperature-based death time estimation is based either on simple phenomenological models of corpse cooling or on detailed physical heat transfer models. The latter are much more complex but allow a higher accuracy of death time estimation, as in principle, all relevant cooling mechanisms can be taken into account.Here, a complete workflow for finite element-based cooling simulation is presented. The following steps are demonstrated on a CT phantom: Computer tomography (CT) scan Segmentation of the CT images for thermodynamically relevant features of individual geometries and compilation in a geometric computer-aided design (CAD) model Conversion of the segmentation result into a finite element (FE) simulation model Computation of the model cooling curve (MOD) Calculation of the cooling time (CTE) For the first time in FE-based cooling time estimation, the steps from the CT image over segmentation to FE model generation are performed semi-automatically. The cooling time calculation results are compared to cooling measurements performed on the phantoms under controlled conditions. In this context, the method is validated using a CT phantom. Some of the phantoms' thermodynamic material parameters had to be determined via independent experiments.Moreover, the impact of geometry and material parameter uncertainties on the estimated cooling time is investigated by a sensitivity analysis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, 07747, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schenkl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, 07747, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muggenthaler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, 07747, Germany. michael.hubig@med.uni-jena.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hubig
authors.affiliation: Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Bodo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erdmann
authors.affiliation: Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiser
authors.affiliation: Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zachow
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix Victor
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Güttler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Teichgräber
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, 07747, Germany.
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mall
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011180:Postmortem Changes
keywords: Cooling experiments; Finite element method; Semi-automatic CT segmentation and FE model generation; Sensitivity analysis; Temperature-based death time estimation; Validation