FINITE ELEMENT MESHING OF HUMAN BONES FROM MRI RAW DATA

 Finite element modeling of human bones is quite useful in biomechanical simulations. In the present project work a new approach is developed to make FE model of bones from MRI scan data. Developed technique is modification over conventionally used technique. In conventional technique solid modeling process is essential before getting finite element model from the MRI scan data. In present project work this necessity is eliminated and process time and steps are shortened.

Conventional process for finite element meshing from MRI scan data requires two intermediate steps first interior and exterior contour point extraction of bones and second solid modeling from contour data extracted. In the methodology developed and implemented in present work solid generation process is completely eliminated and finite element meshes can be developed directly from the contours extracted. In the first part of project work a user interface is developed to extract contour point data from raw MRI scan data. Process of getting contour data involves getting scan images from raw data, getting bone region from scan images and finally getting contour data extraction. Contour data are obtained using some image processing techniques.

In second part of project work another user interface in the same language is developed to make FE model from contour data extracted. This process involved mapping of contours on unit rectangle to get quadrilateral mesh within each contour and fitting solid element in between two consecutive contours.

               

Lofted contour points of the femur     (Chawla A. et al., 2006)

 

         

Meshed model of femur end from manual meshing       (Chawla A. et al., 2006)