Segmentation of Musculotendinous Structures of the Hip from 3D Imaging for Patient-Specific Individualization of Biomechanical Simulations

Abstract

Due to a steady increase of total hip arthroplasty, biomechanical multibody simulations are moving more and more into focus. These simulations allow to calculate forces, moments and muscle activities in the human body and, thus, can help to improve surgery planning and outcomes. However, generic human body models based on anthropometric data are mostly used for these simulations. Since these models are not customized to patients, there is a need to adapt the models to the individual patient. Therefore, 3D models of bones are created by segmentation of CT and MRI scans and assigned different landmarks. This allows to define both, the shape and size of bones, in this case the femur, which leads to patient-specific adjustments of muscle attachment points. Also muscles can be segmented to determine important parameters such as muscle volume, allowing the definition of important simulation parameters, like the maximum isometric force or the tendon slack length of individual patients leading to customized models.