Finite element analysis of femur in the evaluation of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a type of disease that effect´s most of the post menopausal woman. It is also found in men. This may lead to risk of fractures. Osterioporosis occurs in a condition when bone looses minerals such as calcium and phosphate. This results in the lower body mass density. The condition of Osteoporosis can be diagnosed by various bio chemical methods. Estimation of the values of BMD, fracture of the hip, wrist, or vertebra (bones of the spine). This increases the mortality rate every year. So, to reduce the death rate and bone fracture, early detection and the diagnosis is required. For the detection, imaging modalities such as CT, MRI are used. The Computer tomography (CT) images of osterioporotic, osteriopenic, normal patients are collected. To analyze the condition in a better way, MIMICS software is used. Importing of the images into MIMICS software initiates the analysis. The MIMICS software is used for the generation of 3D model of the effected, normal femur bones. Segmentation tool is used for the conversion of 3d model. Some of the tools are Thresholding, region growing, Calculation of 3D. The 3D model is exported to a software ANSYS for the Finite element analysis. The finite element analysis is carried out and the research results are compared with the DXA values. Bone densitometry method cannot be used for analysis. Finite element analysis is performed to give stress, strain values of osteoporosis, osteopenic and normal femur. The analysis can be used as a caution for the osteopenic and normal patient´s.