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ImageParser: a tool for finite element generation from three-dimensional medical images
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

ImageParser: a tool for finite element generation from three-dimensional medical images

Hm Yin, L Z Sun, G Wang, T Yamada, J Wang and Mw Vannier
BioMedical Engineering OnLine, Vol.3(1), pp.31-31
10/01/2004
DOI: 10.1186/1475-925X-3-31
PMCID: PMC524181
PMID: 15461787
url
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-925X-3-31View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Abstract Background The finite element method (FEM) is a powerful mathematical tool to simulate and visualize the mechanical deformation of tissues and organs during medical examinations or interventions. It is yet a challenge to build up an FEM mesh directly from a volumetric image partially because the regions (or structures) of interest (ROIs) may be irregular and fuzzy. Methods A software package, ImageParser, is developed to generate an FEM mesh from 3-D tomographic medical images. This software uses a semi-automatic method to detect ROIs from the context of image including neighboring tissues and organs, completes segmentation of different tissues, and meshes the organ into elements. Results The ImageParser is shown to build up an FEM model for simulating the mechanical responses of the breast based on 3-D CT images. The breast is compressed by two plate paddles under an overall displacement as large as 20% of the initial distance between the paddles. The strain and tangential Young's modulus distributions are specified for the biomechanical analysis of breast tissues. Conclusion The ImageParser can successfully exact the geometry of ROIs from a complex medical image and generate the FEM mesh with customer-defined segmentation information.
 Medical Technology meshing image segmentation Breast imaging finite element method (FEM) Research biomechanical analysis

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