Three dimensional stereolithography models of cancellous bone structures from muCT data: testing and validation of finite element results

Stereolithography (STL) models of complex cancellous bone structures have been produced from three-dimensional micro-computed tomography data sets of human cancellous bone histological samples from four skeletal sites. The STL models have been mechanically tested and the derived stiffness compared with that predicted by finite element analysis. The results show a strong correlation (R2 = 0.941) between the predicted and calculated stiffnesses of the structures and show promise for the use of STL as an additional technique to complement the use of finite element models, for the assessment of the mechanical properties of complex cancellous bone structures.