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Analysis of pediatric head anthropometry using computed tomography for application to head injury prediction
Kathryn L Loftis1, Carol P Geer, Kerry A Danelson
1Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
Insights
Developing a pediatric finite element head model is crucial for accurately assessing head injury risks in children during motor vehicle accidents. This new model accounts for rapid pediatric skull development, improving injury prediction.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Computational Anatomy
Background:
- Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death in young people, with head trauma being a significant factor.
- Current head injury models, often based on adult male dimensions, inadequately represent pediatric head anatomy and developmental changes.
- Pediatric head injuries are unique due to fontanelles and developing bone structures, necessitating specialized models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a modified finite element head model that accurately represents pediatric skull anatomy and morphological changes during development (ontogeny).
- To improve the assessment of head injury risks in children involved in motor vehicle crashes.
- To address the limitations of current models that fail to capture pediatric-specific variations.
Main Methods:
- Modification of an existing finite element head model (skull, brain, dura/CSF, Falx Cerebri) to incorporate pediatric anatomical changes.
- Utilizing 96 CT scans of pediatric skulls to identify landmark coordinates and map changes in skull size and shape.
- Employing parametric mesh generation software to create the pediatric finite element head model.
Main Results:
- The study outlines a methodology for creating a pediatric finite element head model by analyzing CT scan data.
- The model will incorporate anatomical and nonlinear morphological changes observed in pediatric skulls during the first two years of age.
- This approach allows for a more accurate representation of pediatric head structures and their response to impact.
Conclusions:
- A novel pediatric finite element head model can be created by integrating anatomical data from CT scans.
- This model will enable more accurate measurement and prediction of head injuries in children during motor vehicle crashes.
- The developed model addresses a critical gap in current injury assessment tools for pediatric populations.
Abstract:
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of people between one and thirty-four years of age in the U.S., and head trauma is a significant lethal injury in such cases. During a motor vehicle crash, the head often experiences blunt force trauma from impacts with seat backs, steering wheels, windows, and dashes. The resulting injuries can cause skull fractures, concussions, bleeding and swelling of the brain. Crash test dummies and finite element models are often used to study the nature and likelihood of injury during a crash, but these are currently based on scaled versions of a standard, 50th percentile male. This approach fails to accurately capture the size and shape variation in even the adult population, but may be especially inappropriate for modeling pediatric head injuries where, for instance, infants have fontanelles and reduced bone structure. In this presentation, an approach for modification of a finite element model of the human head based on 50th percentile male dimensions and representing the skull, brain, dura/CSF layer, and Falx Celebri, that will incorporate the anatomical and nonlinear morphological changes observed in pediatric skulls during ontogeny. Using 96 CT scans of normal pediatric skulls, landmark coordinate points are identified to map the changes in skull shape and size as aging occurs. The pediatric skull changes rapidly in size and shape during the first two years of age. Using this information, a pediatric finite element head model will be created, using parametric mesh generation software, to measure head injury in children in a motor vehicle crash.
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