Finite element models predict the location of microdamage in cancellous bone following uniaxial loading

Radiation-induced changes in load-sharing and structure-function behavior in murine lumbar vertebrae

In this study, we used micro-CT-based finite element analysis to investigate the biomechanical effects of radiation on the microstructure and mechanical function of murine lumbar vertebrae. Specifically, we evaluated vertebral microstructure, whole-bone stiffness, and cortical-trabecular load sharing in the L5 vertebral body of mice exposed to ionizing radiation 11 days post exposure (5 Gy total dose; n = 13) and controls (n = 14). Our findings revealed the irradiated group exhibited reduced trabecular bone volume and microstructure (p < 0.001) compared to controls, while cortical bone volume remained unchanged (p = 0.91). Axially compressive loads in the irradiated group were diverted from the trabecular centrum and into the vertebral cortex, as evidenced by a higher cortical load-fraction (p = 0.02) and a higher proportion of cortical tissue at risk of initial failure (p < 0.01). Whole-bone stiffness was lower in the irradiated group compared to the controls, though the difference was small and non-significant (2045 ± 142 vs. 2185 ± 225 vs. N/mm, irradiated vs. control, p = 0.07). Additionally, the structure-function relationship between trabecular bone volume and trabecular load fraction differed between groups (p = 0.03), indicating a less biomechanically efficient trabecular network in the irradiated group. We conclude that radiation can decrease trabecular bone volume and result in a less biomechanically efficient trabecular structure, leading to increased reliance on the vertebral cortex to resist axially compressive loads. These findings offer biomechanical insight into the effects of radiation on structure-function behavior in murine lumbar vertebrae independent of possible tissue-level material effects.

Local and global microarchitecture is associated with different features of bone biomechanics

Purpose

Beside areal bone mineral density (aBMD), evaluation of fragility fracture risk mostly relies on global microarchitecture. However, microarchitecture is not a uniform network. Therefore, this study aimed to compare local structural weakness to global microarchitecture on whole vertebral bodies and to evaluate how local and global microarchitecture was associated with bone biomechanics.

Methods

From 21 human L3 vertebrae, aBMD was measured using absorptiometry. Parameters of global microarchitecture were measured using HR-pQCT: trabecular bone volume fraction (Tb.BV/TV_global), trabecular number, structure model index and connectivity density (Conn.D). Local minimal values of aBMD and Tb.BV/TV were identified in the total (Tt) or trabecular (Tb) area of each vertebral body. “Two dimensional (2D) local structural weakness” was defined as Tt.BMD_min, Tt.BV/TV_min and Tb.BV/TV_min. Mechanical testing was performed in 3 phases: 1/ initial compression until mild vertebral fracture, 2/ unloaded relaxation, and 3/ second compression until failure.

Results

Initial and post-fracture mechanics were significantly correlated with bone mass, global and local microarchitecture. Tt.BMD_min, Tt.BV/TV_min, Tb.BV/TV_min, and initial and post-fracture mechanics remained significantly correlated after adjustment for aBMD or Tb.BV/TV_global (p < 0.001 to 0.038). The combination of the most relevant parameter of bone mass, global and local microarchitecture associated with failure load and stiffness demonstrated that global microarchitecture explained initial and post-fracture stiffness, while local structural weakness explained initial and post-fracture failure load (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Local and global microarchitecture was associated with different features of vertebral bone biomechanics, with global microarchitecture controlling stiffness and 2D local structural weakness controlling strength. Therefore, determining both localized low density and impaired global microarchitecture could have major impact on vertebral fracture risk prediction.

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Global and local microarchitecture were associated with different features of bone biomechanics.

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Localized low density and/or impaired microarchitecture regions could have major impact on bone mechanical behavior.

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Global microarchitecture determined initial and post-fracture vertebral stiffness.

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Local microarchitecture determined initial and post-fracture vertebral failure load.

Simulation analysis of impact damage to the bone tissue surrounding a dental implant

Dental implant may suffer transient external impacts. To simulate the effect of impact forces on bone damage is very important for evaluation of damage and guiding treatment in clinics. In this study, an animal model was established by inserting an implant into the femoral condyle of New Zealand rabbit. Implant with good osseointegration was loaded with impact force. A three-dimensional finite element model was established based on the data of the animal model. Damage process to bone tissue was simulated with Abaqus 6.13 software combining dynamic mechanical properties of the femur. The characteristics of bone damage were analyzed by comparing the results of animal testing with numerical simulation data. After impact, cortical bone around the implant and trabecular at the bottom of the implant were prone to damage. The degree of damage correlated with the direction of loading and the magnitude of the impact. Lateral loading was most likely performed to damage cancellous bone. The stress wave formed by the impact force can damage the implant–bone interface and peri-implant trabeculae. The data from numerical simulations were consistent with data from animal experiments, highlighting the importance of a thorough examination and evaluation based on the patient’s medical history.

Load-carrying capacity of short implants in edentulous posterior maxilla: A finite element study

Dental implant dimensions, and bone quality and quantity play a key role in early osseointegration and long-term prognosis in posterior edentulous maxilla. Treatment with short implants, preferably in a bicortical manner, is an accepted modality; however, short implants have limitations leading to increased stress concentrations in alveolar bone, potential overload and implant failure. Implant models of 3.3, 4.1, 4.8 and 5.4 mm diameter and 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5 mm length were placed in posterior maxilla 3-D models with corresponding residual bone heights. Bone-implant assemblies were analyzed in finite element software ANSYS 15. All materials were assumed to be linearly elastic and isotropic. 118.2 N oblique loading was applied to investigate stress distributions in bone tissues. The concept of ultimate functional load (UFL) was selected as a criterion to compare load-carrying capacity of implants and to evaluate the influence of available bone height and implant dimensions on load-carrying capacity. For all implants, UFL was calculated by limiting von Mises stresses in cortical or cancellous bone with bone strength (100 MPa for cortical and 2 MPa for cancellous bone). Implant load-carrying capacity depends on diameter and available bone height. Wide implants have higher load-carrying capacity than narrow implants. Short implants with proper diameter and length avoid bone overstress, even in Type IV bone.

Adaptive changes in micromechanical environments of cancellous and cortical bone in response to in vivo loading and disuse

The skeleton accommodates changes in mechanical environments by increasing bone mass under increased loads and decreasing bone mass under disuse. However, little is known about the adaptive changes in micromechanical behavior of cancellous and cortical tissues resulting from loading or disuse. To address this issue, in vivo tibial loading and hindlimb unloading experiments were conducted on 16-week-old female C57BL/6J mice. Changes in bone mass and tissue-level strains in the metaphyseal cancellous and midshaft cortical bone of the tibiae, resulting from loading or unloading, were determined using microCT and finite element (FE) analysis, respectively. We found that loading- and unloading-induced changes in bone mass were more pronounced in the cancellous than cortical bone. Simulated FE-loading showed that a greater proportion of elements experienced relatively lower longitudinal strains following load-induced bone adaptation, while the opposite was true in the disuse model. While the magnitudes of maximum or minimum principal strains in the metaphyseal cancellous and midshaft cortical bone were not affected by loading, strains oriented with the long axis were reduced in the load-adapted tibia suggesting that loading-induced micromechanical benefits were aligned primarily in the loading direction. Regression analyses demonstrated that bone mass was a good predictor of bone tissue strains for the cortical bone but not for the cancellous bone, which has complex microarchitecture and spatially-variant strain environments. In summary, loading-induced micromechanical benefits for cancellous and cortical tissues are received primarily in the direction of force application and cancellous bone mass may not be related to the micromechanics of cancellous bone.

Additively manufactured porous metallic biomaterials

Additively manufactured (AM, =3D printed) porous metallic biomaterials with topologically ordered unit cells have created a lot of excitement and are currently receiving a lot of attention given their great potential for improving bone tissue regeneration and preventing implant-associated infections.

Mechanics of linear microcracking in trabecular bone

Microcracking in trabecular bone is responsible both for the mechanical degradation and remodeling of the trabecular bone tissue. Recent results on trabecular bone mechanics have demonstrated that bone tissue microarchitecture, tissue elastic heterogeneity and tissue-level mechanical anisotropy all should be considered to obtain detailed information on the mechanical stress state. The present study investigated the influence of tissue microarchitecture, tissue heterogeneity in elasticity and material separation properties and tissue-level anisotropy on the microcrack formation process. Microscale bone models were executed with the extended finite element method. It was demonstrated that anisotropy and heterogeneity of the bone tissue contribute significantly to bone tissue toughness and the resistance of trabecular bone to microcrack formation. The compressive strain to microcrack initiation was computed to increase by a factor of four from an assumed homogeneous isotropic tissue to an assumed anisotropic heterogenous tissue.

Determinants of bone damage: An ex-vivo study on porcine vertebrae

Bone's resistance to fracture depends on several factors, such as bone mass, microarchitecture, and tissue material properties. The clinical assessment of bone strength is generally performed by Dual-X Ray Photon Absorptiometry (DXA), measuring bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular bone score (TBS). Although it is considered the major predictor of bone strength, BMD only accounts for about 70% of fragility fractures, while the remaining 30% could be described by bone "quality" impairment parameters, mainly related to tissue microarchitecture. The assessment of bone microarchitecture generally requires more invasive techniques, which are not applicable in routine clinical practice, or X-Ray based imaging techniques, requiring a longer post-processing. Another important aspect is the presence of local damage in the bony tissue that may also affect the prediction of bone strength and fracture risk. To provide a more comprehensive analysis of bone quality and quantity, and to assess the effect of damage, here we adopt a framework that includes clinical, morphological, and mechanical analyses, carried out by means of DXA, μCT and mechanical compressive testing, respectively. This study has been carried out on trabecular bones, taken from porcine trabecular vertebrae, for the similarity with human lumbar spine. This study confirms that no single method can provide a complete characterization of bone tissue, and the combination of complementary characterization techniques is required for an accurate and exhaustive description of bone status. BMD and TBS have shown to be complementary parameters to assess bone strength, the former assessing the bone quantity and resistance to damage, and the latter the bone quality and the presence of damage accumulation without being able to predict the risk of fracture.

Bone Mechanical Properties in Healthy and Diseased States

The mechanical properties of bone are fundamental to the ability of our skeletons to support movement and to provide protection to our vital organs. As such, deterioration in mechanical behavior with aging and/or diseases such as osteoporosis and diabetes can have profound consequences for individuals' quality of life. This article reviews current knowledge of the basic mechanical behavior of bone at length scales ranging from hundreds of nanometers to tens of centimeters. We present the basic tenets of bone mechanics and connect them to some of the arcs of research that have brought the field to recent advances. We also discuss cortical bone, trabecular bone, and whole bones, as well as multiple aspects of material behavior, including elasticity, yield, fracture, fatigue, and damage. We describe the roles of bone quantity (e.g., density, porosity) and bone quality (e.g., cross-linking, protein composition), along with several avenues of future research.

Horn and horn core trabecular bone of bighorn sheep rams absorbs impact energy and reduces brain cavity accelerations during high impact ramming of the skull

Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) routinely experience violent impacts to the head as part of intraspecific fighting. Dynamic 3D finite element models of the skull and horns of a male bighorn sheep were developed to gain an understanding of the roles that the horn and bone materials and structure play in absorbing the impact that occurs during ramming. The geometry and volume mesh of the model were derived from CT scan images. The models included the horn, bony horn core, and bone of the skull. The horn core fills a portion of the hollow horn and consists of a thin cortical bone shell filled with foam-like trabecular bone. Two modified models were also created: one with the distal half of the horn length removed to assess the effects of the tapered spiral geometry of the horn, and one with the internal trabecular bone material of the horn core removed. The trabecular bone material stored three times more strain energy during impact than the horn material in the intact model. Removing half of the horn length had the effect of increasing translational accelerations in the brain cavity by 49%. Removing the trabecular bone in the horn core resulted in a 442% increase in rotational accelerations within the brain cavity. These findings support the investigation of novel bioinspired materials and designs that could be used in mitigating brain injuries and in other applications involving high-impact collisions.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Bighorn sheep routinely experience violent impacts to the head and horns without apparent negative consequences to the brain or horns. A portion of the horn is filled with a thin cortical bone shell containing foam-like trabecular bone. We developed novel dynamic finite element models of the skull and horns of bighorn sheep to gain an understanding of the roles that the horn and bone materials play in absorbing the impact that occurs during ramming. The study revealed that both horn and bone materials and the structures made from these materials (i.e., tapered spiral horns and foam-like trabecular bone struts) are important for absorbing impact energy and reducing brain cavity accelerations.

μFE models can represent microdamaged regions of healthy and metastatically involved whole vertebrae identified through histology and contrast enhanced μCT imaging

Micro-damage formation within the skeleton is an important stimulant for bone remodeling, however abnormal build-up of micro-damage can lead to skeletal fragility. In this study, µCT imaging based micro finite element (μFE) models were used to evaluate tissue level damage criteria in whole healthy and metastatically-involved vertebrae. T13-L2 spinal segments were excised from osteolytic (n=3) and healthy (n=3) female athymic rnu/rnu rats. Osteolytic metastasis was generated by intercardiac injection of HeLa cancer cells. Micro-mechanical axial loading was applied to the spinal motion segments under μCT imaging. Vertebral samples underwent BaSO4 staining and sequential calcein/fuchsin staining to identify load induced micro-damage. μCT imaging was used generate specimen specific μFE models of the healthy and osteolytic whole rat vertebrae. Model boundary conditions were generated through deformable image registration of loaded and unloaded scans. Elevated stresses and strains were detected in regions of micro-damage identified through histological and BaSO4 staining within healthy and osteolytic vertebral models, as compared to undamaged regions. Additionally, damaged regions of metastatic vertebrae experienced significantly higher local stresses and strains than those in the damaged regions of healthy specimens. Areas identified by BaSO4 staining, however, yielded lower levels of stress and strain in damaged and undamaged regions of healthy and metastatic vertebrae as compared to fuschin staining. The multimodal (experimental, image-based and computational) techniques used in this study demonstrated the ability of local stresses and strains computed through µFE analysis to identify trabecular micro-damage, that can be applied to biomechanical analyses of healthy and diseased whole bones.