Three-dimensional finite element model of human thorax

Author

Ahmed, Mahboob ; Barker, Richard L.

Author_Institution

Physio-Control Corp., Redmond, WA, USA

fYear

1989

Abstract

A program has been developed to build a three-dimensional finite-element model of the human thorax using actual data from computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The new program is useful in studying current distribution when external pacing or defibrillation pulses are applied to a patient´s thorax. This program is written for an Apple Macintosh IIR computer with a color or a monochrome display. The data used to build the model are obtained from transverse CT or MRI scans which are layered about 4 mm apart. Each layer consists of a 512×512 pixel matrix generated during the imaging process. Each pixel is 0.7 mm square and is representative of the tissue density

Keywords

finite element analysis; medical computing; physiological models; 3D finite element model; Apple Macintosh IIR computer; current distribution; defibrillation pulses; external pacing pulses; human thorax; pixel matrix; tissue density; transverse CT scan; transverse MRI scan; Computed tomography; Computer displays; Current distribution; Data engineering; Defibrillation; Engineering in medicine and biology; Finite element methods; Humans; Magnetic resonance imaging; Thorax;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 1989. Images of the Twenty-First Century., Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in

Conference_Location

Seattle, WA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.1989.95580

Filename

95580