Data Management and Modeling for Reconstructing 3D Finite Elements of Lungs

For biomechanical analysis, reconstruction of 3D finite-element model based on sequential medical images is essential. However, the burdensome preprocessing tasks as image data processing and meshing for such process have turned out to be the bottleneck of finite-element analysis. In particular, lung has extremely complicated histological components resulting in rather irregular shape and diversity of stresses, so data related to the medical images for establishment lung model are quite complicated. Based on data necessary for establishing 3D finite-element model, this paper presents the data structure and types required for processing based on CT medical images and analyses the methods for data acquisition and processing. Also, a data processing method based on the idea of sub-divisional modeling is introduced, which is in combination with MSC.Marc software to have realized the meshing and established 3D finite-element model of lung. The morphological characteristics of the model basically embody the physical characteristic form of lungs, and satisfy the requirements for biomechanical studies and analysis on the law of lung motion. This is quite significant for data acquisition and management for the processing of medical sequential images and finite-element modeling in addition to the significances on the further development and practical guidance of other similar reconstruction of 3D finite-element human tissues based on medical images (CT and MRI etc).