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From Finite Element Meshes to Clouds of Points: A Review of Methods for Generation of Computational Biomechanics Models for Patient-Specific Applications

  • Computational Biomechanics for Patient-Specific Applications
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Abstract

It has been envisaged that advances in computing and engineering technologies could extend surgeons’ ability to plan and carry out surgical interventions more accurately and with less trauma. The progress in this area depends crucially on the ability to create robustly and rapidly patient-specific biomechanical models. We focus on methods for generation of patient-specific computational grids used for solving partial differential equations governing the mechanics of the body organs. We review state-of-the-art in this area and provide suggestions for future research. To provide a complete picture of the field of patient-specific model generation, we also discuss methods for identifying and assigning patient-specific material properties of tissues and boundary conditions.

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Acknowledgments

This review would not be possible without the experience and information obtained in the studies supported by National Health and Medical Research Council (Grants No. APP1006031 and APP1063986) and Australian Research Council (Discovery Grants DP120100402 and DP1092893). N.M. Grosland and V. Magnotta acknowledge support of the award R01EB005973 from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health.

Conflict of interest

We have no conflict of interest to report in relation to this review.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, The University of Western Australia, Crawley-Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Adam Wittek, Grand Roman Joldes & Karol Miller

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Nicole M. Grosland

  3. Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Nicole M. Grosland

  4. Center for Computer Aided Design, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Nicole M. Grosland

  5. Department of Radiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Vincent Magnotta

  6. Institute of Mechanics and Advanced Materials, Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

    Karol Miller

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  1. Adam Wittek
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  2. Nicole M. Grosland
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  3. Grand Roman Joldes
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  4. Vincent Magnotta
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  5. Karol Miller
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adam Wittek.

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Associate Editor K. A. Athanasiou oversaw the review of this article.

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Wittek, A., Grosland, N.M., Joldes, G.R. et al. From Finite Element Meshes to Clouds of Points: A Review of Methods for Generation of Computational Biomechanics Models for Patient-Specific Applications. Ann Biomed Eng 44, 3–15 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-015-1469-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-015-1469-2

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