Journal Article
A comprehensive approach to simulating bone fractures through bone model fragmentation guided by fracture patterns
Gema Parra-Cabrera; Francisco Daniel Pérez-Cano; José Javier Reyes-Lagos; Juan José Jiménez-Delgado
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing · Vol. 63, Issue 12 · pp. 3821-3837 · 2025
Abstract
Bone fractures are a common medical condition requiring accurate simulation for diagnosis and treatment planning. This study introduces a comprehensive method for simulating bone fractures using two-dimensional fracture patterns and real fractured bones applied to three-dimensional bone models. The approach begins with selecting and adjusting a fracture pattern, projecting it onto a 3D bone model and applying triangulation guided by quality metrics to simulate the cortical layer. Perturbation techniques add irregularities to the fracture surface, enhancing realism. Validation involved comparing simulated fragments with real fragments obtained from CT scans to ensure accuracy. Fracture patterns derived from real fragments were applied to non-fractured bone models to generate simulated fragments. A comparison of real and simulated fracture zones verified the minimal deviation in the results. Specifically, the distance between MMAR and MMAS scaled values varies between $$-$$ - 0.36 and 1.44, confirming the accuracy of the simulation. The resulting models have diverse applications, such as accurate surgical planning, enhanced training, and medical simulation. These models also support personalized medicine by improving patient-specific surgical interventions. This advancement has the potential to significantly enhance fracture treatment strategies and elevate overall patient care. Graphical abstract Pipeline for generating and validating 3D bone fracture patterns from CT models