Performance of QCT-derived scapula finite element models in predicting local displacements using digital volume correlation

Kusins, Jonathan<sup>1,2</sup>; Knowles, Nikolas<sup>1,2</sup>; Ryan, Melissa<sup>3,4</sup>; Dall’Ara, Enrico<sup>3,4</sup>; Ferreira, Louis<sup>1,2</sup>

Affiliations

¹Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Western University, London, Canada

²Roth|McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Canada

³Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

⁴Insigneo Institute for In Silico Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Abstract and keywords

Subject-specific finite element models (FEMs) of the shoulder complex are commonly used to predict differences in internal load distribution due to injury, treatment or disease. However, these models rely on various underlying assumptions, and although experimental validation is warranted, it is difficult to obtain and often not performed. The goal of the current study was to quantify the accuracy of local displacements predicted by subject-specific QCT-based FEMs of the scapula, compared to experimental measurements obtained by combining digital volume correlation (DVC) and mechanical loading of cadaveric specimens within a microCT scanner.

Four cadaveric specimens were loaded within a microCT scanner using a custom-designed six degree-of-freedom hexapod robot augmented with carbon fiber struts for radiolucency. BoneDVC software was used to quantify full-field experimental displacements between pre- and post-loaded scans. Corresponding scapula QCT-FEMs were generated and three types of boundary conditions (BC) (idealized-displacement, idealized-force, and DVC-derived) were simulated for each specimen.

DVC-derived BCs resulted in the closest match to the experimental results for all specimens (best agreement: slope ranging from 0.87 to 1.09; highest correlation: r2 ranging from 0.79 to 1.00). In addition, a two orders of magnitude decrease was observed in root-mean-square error when using QCT-FEMs with simulated DVC-derived BCs compared to idealized-displacement and idealized-force BCs.

The results of this study demonstrate that scapula QCT-FEMs can accurately predict local experimental full-field displacements if the BCs are derived from DVC measurements.

Keywords: Subject-specific finite element analysis; Digital volume correlation; Shoulder FEM; CT-Compatible loading

Links

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2019.05.021

PubMed: 31153115

WoS: 000483636600037

History

Received: 2019-03-05

Revised: 2019-04-24

Accepted: 2019-05-13

Online: 2019-05-14

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Cited By (6)

Year	Entry
2019	Knowles NK, Kusins J, Faieghi M, Ryan M, Dall’Ara E, Ferreira LM. Material mapping of QCT-derived scapular models: a comparison with micro-CT loaded specimens using digital volume correlation. Ann Biomed Eng. November 2019;47(11):2188-2198.
2022	Knowles NK, Kusins J, Columbus MP, Athwal GS, Ferreira LM. Experimental DVC validation of heterogeneous micro finite element models applied to subchondral trabecular bone of the humeral head. J Orthop Res. September 2022;40(9):2039-2047.
2023	Branni MG. Constitutive Models of Bone: The Human Femur [PhD thesis]. Queensland University of Technology; 2023.
2020	Zaluski D. Validation of Subject Specific Computed Tomography-Based Finite Element Models of the Human Proximal Tibia Using Full-Field Experimental Displacement Measurements from Digital Volume Correlation [Master's thesis]. University of Saskatchewan; December 2020.
2021	Shirzadi H. Development of a Finite Element Analysis Workflow for Studying Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty [Master's thesis]. University of Victoria; June 2021.
2021	Kusins J. A Multi-Level Mechanical Assessment of the Shoulder Coupled With Evaluation of Upper Extremity Predictive Finite Element Models [PhD thesis]. University of Western Ontario; 2021.