Dynamic analysis of a needle insertion for soft materials: Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian-based three-dimensional finite element analysis

Comput Biol Med. 2014 Oct:53:42-7. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2014.07.012. Epub 2014 Jul 31.

Abstract

Background: Our goal was to develop a three-dimensional finite element model that enables dynamic analysis of needle insertion for soft materials. To demonstrate large deformation and fracture, we used the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method for fluid analysis. We performed ALE-based finite element analysis for 3% agar gel and three types of copper needle with bevel tips.

Methods: To evaluate simulation results, we compared the needle deflection and insertion force with corresponding experimental results acquired with a uniaxial manipulator. We studied the shear stress distribution of agar gel on various time scales.

Results: For 30°, 45°, and 60°, differences in deflections of each needle between both sets of results were 2.424, 2.981, and 3.737mm, respectively. For the insertion force, there was no significant difference for mismatching area error (p<0.05) between simulation and experimental results.

Conclusions: Our results have the potential to be a stepping stone to develop pre-operative surgical planning to estimate an optimal needle insertion path for MR image-guided microwave coagulation therapy and for analyzing large deformation and fracture in biological tissues.

Keywords: Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian method; Dynamic analysis; Finite element analysis; MR-guided microwave coagulation therapy; Needle insertion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Computer Simulation
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / instrumentation
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Needles*
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Surgery, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Ultrasonography, Interventional / instrumentation
  • Ultrasonography, Interventional / methods*