In vivo measurement of human brain material properties under quasi-static loading

Bennion, Nicholas J., Zappalá, Stefano, Potts, Matthew, Woolley, Max, Marshall, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2789-1395 and Evans, Sam L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3664-2569 2022. In vivo measurement of human brain material properties under quasi-static loading. Journal of the Royal Society. Interface 19 (197) , 20220557. 10.1098/rsif.2022.0557

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Abstract

Computational modelling of the brain requires accurate representation of the tissues concerned. Mechanical testing has numerous challenges, in particular for low strain rates, like neurosurgery, where redistribution of fluid is biomechanically important. A finite-element (FE) model was generated in FEBio, incorporating a spring element/fluid–structure interaction representation of the pia–arachnoid complex (PAC). The model was loaded to represent gravity in prone and supine positions. Material parameter identification and sensitivity analysis were performed using statistical software, comparing the FE results to human in vivo measurements. Results for the brain Ogden parameters µ, α and k yielded values of 670 Pa, −19 and 148 kPa, supporting values reported in the literature. Values of the order of 1.2 MPa and 7.7 kPa were obtained for stiffness of the pia mater and out-of-plane tensile stiffness of the PAC, respectively. Positional brain shift was found to be non-rigid and largely driven by redistribution of fluid within the tissue. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using in vivo human data and gravitational loading in order to estimate the material properties of intracranial tissues. This model could now be applied to reduce the impact of positional brain shift in stereotactic neurosurgery.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Engineering Computer Science & Informatics
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Type: open-access
Publisher:	The Royal Society
ISSN:	1742-5689
Funders:	EPSRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	15 December 2022
Date of Acceptance:	18 November 2022
Last Modified:	14 Jun 2023 18:54
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/154961

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