7th International Conference on Computational and Mathematical Biomedical Engineering – CMBE2021

27-29 June 2022, Italy

P. Nithiarasu and C.Vergara (Eds.)

Human bone biomodelling as an alternative for medical assessment

Islas-Jiménez, D. I.1, Urriolagoitia-Sosa, G.2, Romero-Ángeles, B.3,
Maya-Anaya, D.4, González-Uribe, I.5, Sánchez-Cervantes, A.6,
Gallegos-Funes, F. J.7 and Urriolagoitia-Calderón, G. M.8

Instituto Politécnico Nacional,

Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica,
Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación,
Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Zacatenco, Edificio 5, 2do. Piso,
Col. Lindavista, Del. Gustavo A. Madero C.P. 07300, Ciudad de México, México.

1
islas1718jmz@gmail.com, 2guiurri@hotmail.com, 3romerobeatriz97@hotmail.com,
4
danmaa02@gmail.com, 5ing.mec.igu@hotmail.com, 6artursc4@hotmail.com,
7
fcogf@hotmail.com, 8urrio332@hotmail.com.

SUMMARY

In recent years, the biomodelling of human bones has been one of many technological
advances in the area of biomechanics. This is due to the multiple digital tools and computer
programs that are capable of generating a reconstruction of bones in the human body
regardless of the state, which is done with the help of a Computerized Axial Tomography
(TAC). Three-dimensional printing of biomodelling has become an excellent alternative for
medical specialists, to ensure a better clinical diagnosis, surgical intervention in most
cases, and post-surgical rehabilitation.

Keywords; Biomodelling 1, Biomechanics 2, TAC 3

1 INTRODUCTION

Current medicine has made unquestionable progress in the treatment of complicated lesions in
organs, tissues, and bones of the body. Advances in scientific research have driven progress in
medical technology, which today makes it possible to make reproductions in computational models
of practically any part of the body, including implants, nails, plates, etc. Also, these biomodels can
undergo mechanical analysis to check their structural reliability and functionality, before being
implanted in patients [1]. 3D printing allows the reproduction of biomodels that reproduce the
geometry of body organs, implants, nails, screws, plates, etc., where tests can be performed under
the working conditions to which they will be subjected, thus avoiding failures in the elements that
can cause catastrophic damage when they are already implanted inside the human being. Likewise,
advances can be made in surgical techniques and in the adaptation of the material to be used in the
intervention. Among other advantages, the design of exoskeletons helps a human being perform
professional tasks that exceed the natural resistance limit of the tissues or the mobilization of a
human being [2]. The objective of this work is to highlight the importance and impact of the use of
biomodels in virtual reconstructions of real cases of patients with diverse pathologies, from cardiac
surgery, traumatology, plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, and neurosurgery.

2 METHODOLOGY

A computer axial tomography (CT) scanner is required to perform biomodelling. This study
replaces traditional conventional radiography (RX). CT offers grouped images of transversal
sections of the human body that benefit physicians for a better clinical diagnosis. These images can
be easily grouped to obtain a 2D and 3D representation for a surgical simulation. The main benefits
of this type of study are non-invasive methods, images attached to reality, obtaining various tissues,
and the DICOM format (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine) [3]. Using the Scan
IP® computational tool, it is necessary for the importation of the DICOM file (which was obtained
from the tomography). To achieve this stage, the following commands must be executed;
menu>file>import>Dicom image, until obtaining the work window that will be used during the
whole process. During research development, a manual method will be carried out, which consists
of creating a mask with the following commands; mask browser> click right> create new mask>.
Once the mask is activated, the slices from the tomography can be filled in using; FloodFill, Zoom,
Paint, etc. tools. To observe the 3D biomodelling, the 3D view command is applied during a period
in which the program makes a rendering of the reconstructed parts, and thus the biomodelling is
obtained.

Figure 1.- Biomodelling of the human cranium with some customized prostheses in some human
malformations.

3 LOADING AND RESTRICTIONS

For a numerical analysis, the dogmas of Classical Mechanics, which is linear, elastic and isotropic,
must be considered. Consequently, the discretization of the three-dimensional models was obtained.
A free mesh was made, which allows to have the movement restrictions and an external loading
agent, with the objective of reproducing the loading conditions generated after frontal impact, food
chewing and even to observe how much the frontal impact affects the cervical vertebrae.

Application of
external agent

Restriction of
movement

Ux = U y = U z = 0
Rotx = Roty = Rotz = 0

Figure 2.- Diagram of the application of external agent and movement restrictions
Numerical analysis is performed by simulating the loading conditions that occur due to frontal head
impact. For the preparation of the biomodeling for the numerical analysis, a three-dimensional
model was imported into the ANSYS® computer program. Once each file was loaded separately
into the software, it was necessary to perform a series of steps to determine the characteristics on
which it is based. The analysis was sought to be performed. First, it was necessary to establish the
mechanical properties of the materials by considering the properties of both the cortical bone and
the 6Al-4V titanium alloy. In addition, a solid 186, an upper structural type element with 20 nodes
and 6 degrees of freedom, was used.

MPa

2.91 x 10-2
1.67 x10-2
9.28 x 10-3
8.12 x 10-3
5.80 x 10-3
3.48 x 10-3
2.32 x 10-3
1.84 x 10-3
9.73 x 10-4

Figure 3.- Von-Mises stress of the simulation of a frontal impact on the cranium

4 RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The study of some of the pathologies of the locomotor apparatus and their treatments can be
approached from a mechanical point of view. The advances that have been made throughout history
range from three-dimensional studies carried out with simultaneous photographs, to analogies
between the behavior of parts of the body and mechanical machines, and their due analysis of loads
and stress. Modern biomechanics uses biomodels as an essential tool for the simulation of the
analysis of mechanical loads on tissues and their reactions to them. Likewise, biomodels allow the
advancement of surgical techniques, implant designs, and innovations in rehabilitation techniques,
all without doing it directly on the patient. Virtual biomodeling allows the observation of bone
structures (cortical and trabecular bone), soft tissues, muscle, es, and cartilage, thus facilitating the
task of diagnosing malformations, traumas, fractures, etc. It is irrefutable proof of the impact of
technology on medicine. With these virtual biomodels, it is possible to make rapid prototypes in
three-dimensional printing to make a simulation of a surgical implant and customize prosthetics.
The implementation of this technology not only has an impact on costs, but also on treatment
efficiency and the patient's quality of life. Since the possibility of any failure in the implanted
prosthesis is significantly reduced.

5 ACKNOLEDGEMENT

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Instituto Politécnico Nacional and the Consejo Nacional de
Ciencia y Tecnología for the funding support to develop this research.

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