Automated Setup of CT-Based Vertebral Finite Element Simulations: Quantifying the Influence of Boundary-Condition Components on Fracture-Load Estimates.

Daniel Strack, Sara Amenini, Nico Sollmann, Tanja Lerchl, Jan S Kirschke, Dario Gastaldi, Karupppasamy Subburaj

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Article in Annals of biomedical engineering, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Daniel StrackDepartment of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Aarhus University, Katrinebjergvej 89, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark. dast@mpe.au.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3142-1847

Sara AmeniniDepartment of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Aarhus University, Katrinebjergvej 89, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark.

Nico SollmannDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8120-2223

Tanja LerchlDepartment of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine and Health, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7888-3830

Jan S KirschkeDepartment of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine and Health, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7557-0003

Dario Gastaldi"Giulio Natta"-LaBS, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5660-0783

Karupppasamy SubburajDepartment of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Aarhus University, Katrinebjergvej 89, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0723-2405

Funding

Aarhus Universitets Forskningsfond AUFF-E-2022-7-12

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo develop and evaluate an automated workflow for the setup of single-vertebra finite element (FE) simulations from clinical CT data. Specifically, we quantified how automated endplate identification, vertebra-specific coordinate system definition, and load-application-point assignment influence the simulated fracture-load estimates.

methodsWe analyzed 113 vertebrae from 70 patients that had previously undergone manual FE setup. The automated pipeline identified vertebral endplates, assigned a vertebra-specific coordinate system, and assigned the load application point for axial compression simulations. Automated setups were visually graded as good, acceptable, or bad using predefined criteria. Agreement with manual reference models was evaluated, and the effects of each setup component on fracture-load estimates were quantified separately.

resultsOf 113 vertebrae, 53 (47%) automated setups were graded good, 40 (35%) acceptable, and 20 (18%) bad. In the good subset, fully automated models showed strong agreement with manual reference workflow (R

conclusionAutomated setup of vertebral FE simulations can reduce manual intervention and support scalable processing, but current robustness remains insufficient for fully unsupervised use. In successfully processed cases, the workflow showed strong agreement with a manually configured reference workflow and identified load-point assignment as the most influential boundary-condition component in fracture-load estimates.

Indexed as

AutomationBoundary conditionFinite element simulationLoading directionSpineVertebra

Identifiers

PMID42593607

DOI10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104393

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.