Material mapping of QCT-derived scapular models:​ a comparison with micro-CT loaded specimens using digital volume correlation

Knowles, Nikolas K.; Kusins, Jonathan; Faieghi, Mohammadreza; Ryan, Melissa; Dall’Ara, Enrico; Ferreira, Louis M.

Affiliations

¹School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

²Roth|McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Josephs Health Care, London, ON, Canada

³Collaborative Training Program in MSK Health Research, and Bone and Joint Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

⁴Roth|McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre, Surgical Mechatronics Laboratory, St. Josephs Health Care, 268 Grosvenor St., London, ON, Canada

⁵Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

⁶Department of Oncology and Metabolism and INSIGNEO Institute for In Silico Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Abstract and keywords

Subject- and site-specific modeling techniques greatly improve finite element models (FEMs) derived from clinical-resolution CT data. A variety of density-modulus relationships are used in scapula FEMs, but the sensitivity to selection of relationships has yet to be experimentally evaluated. The objectives of this study were to compare quantitative-CT (QCT) derived FEMs mapped with different density-modulus relationships and material mapping strategies to experimentally loaded cadaveric scapular specimens. Six specimens were loaded within a micro-CT (33.5 μm isotropic voxels) using a custom-hexapod loading device. Digital volume correlation (DVC) was used to estimate full-field displacements by registering images in pre- and post-loaded states. Experimental loads were measured using a 6-DOF load cell. QCT-FEMs replicated the experimental setup using DVC-driven boundary conditions (BCs) and were mapped with one of fifteen density-modulus relationships using elemental or nodal material mapping strategies. Models were compared based on predicted QCT-FEM nodal reaction forces compared to experimental load cell measurements and linear regression of the full-field nodal displacements compared to the DVC full-field displacements. Comparing full-field displacements, linear regression showed slopes ranging from 0.86 to 1.06, r-squared values of 0.82–1.00, and max errors of 0.039 mm for all three Cartesian directions. Nearly identical linear regression results occurred for both elemental and nodal material mapping strategies. Comparing QCT-FEM to experimental reaction forces, errors ranged from − 46 to 965% for all specimens, with specimen-specific errors as low as 3%. This study utilized volumetric imaging combined with mechanical loading to derive full-field experimental measurements to evaluate various density-modulus relationships required for QCT-FEMs applied to whole-bone scapular loading. The results suggest that elemental and nodal material mapping strategies are both able to simultaneously replicate experimental full-field displacements and reactions forces dependent on the density-modulus relationship used.

Keywords: Finite element modeling; Material mapping strategies; Experimental loading; Bone mechanics

Links

DOI: 10.1007/s10439-019-02312-2

PubMed: 31297723

PubMedCentral: PMC6838049

WoS: 000495102700007

History

Received: 2019-03-02

Accepted: 2019-06-22

Online: 2019-07-11

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Cited By (5)

Year	Entry
2020	Le Cann S, Tudisco E, Tägil M, Hall SA, Isaksson H. Bone damage evolution around integrated metal screws using x-ray tomography: in situ pullout and digital volume correlation. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. August 5, 2020;8:934.
2022	Dall’Ara E, Bodey AJ, Isaksson H, Tozzi G. A practical guide for in situ mechanical testing of musculoskeletal tissues using synchrotron tomography. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. September 2022;133:105297.
2020	Knowles NK, Kusins J, Columbus MP, Athwal GS, Ferreira LM. Morphological and apparent‐level stiffness variations between normal and osteoarthritic bone in the humeral head. J Orthop Res. March 2020;38(3):503-509.
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	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.