Finite Element Modelling of the Developing Infant Femur Using Paired CT and MRI Scans

Through the MultiSim project in 91直播, we have pioneered modelling technologies to investigate very young children鈥檚 bone using personalised computer models based on CT and MRI scans.

Diagram showing Finite Element models of infant femur
Finite Element models of infant femur (left鈥 4 months; right鈥 7 months)

This work is the first of its kind to combine information obtained from paired CT/MRI data in order to create detailed models of the developing long bones including both mineralised and non-mineralised components.

The project is in collaboration with the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and 91直播 Children鈥檚 Hospital. Two computer models of the developing femurs were created for a 4-month and a 7-month old, where the mechanical responses of the bone were studied using computational simulations. This study helped to further our understanding of young and immature bones in human in the application to a wide range of childhood musculoskeletal diseases, as well as in the diagnosis of suspected child abuse.

Castro, A. P. G, Altai, Z., Offiah, A. C., Shelmerdine, S. C., Arthurs, O.J., Li, X., Lacroix, D. (2019), 鈥淔inite Element Modelling of the Developing Infant Femur Using Paired CT and MRI Scans鈥, Plos One, 14(6): e0218268

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MultiSim Project

Aiming to create a new generation of predictive models capable of handling complex multi-scale and multiphysics problems, characterised by uncertain and incomplete information.