Project Objectives

Treatment and prognosis of spinal disc degeneration are still based on trial and error clinical decisions from the surgeon leading to numerous post treatment complications and eventual morbidity. A rational engineering approach based on advanced ICT and patient-specific predictive systems to treat various spinal pathologies needs to be developed to guide clinicians and improve long-term clinical outcomes. In silico virtual assessment of the evolution of treatments for patient-specific lumbar spine geometries, tissue properties, and loading histories is the cornerstone of such predictive system. Focus must be made on functional patient-specific models that have mechanobiological predictive capabilities.

The objective of My SPINE is to adapt and integrate existing generic finite element (FE) models and use them as ICT tools in a clinical setting. The predictive system will consist in a set of specialized computing platforms. A geometrical and mechanical patient-specific model will be built, involving specialized processes such as image segmentation and analysis, mesh morphing, FE simulations, and optimizations. Based on the analysis of each integrated biomechanical and mechanobiological model, results will be evaluated in a probabilistic way, helping clinician to safely assess the risks and benefits of each simulated treatment.

The main outputs of the project are the creation of a prototype computing platform with a graphical user interface for clinical settings and a patient-specific database of the lumbar spine. This interface will give clinicians the ability to virtually explore patient-specific treatment outcomes of disc degeneration, from short-term biomechanical ending to long-term mechanobiological tissue evolution. The project will impact ehealth by bringing new engineering rationale in the clinical decision-process. Impact is thus directly linked to ICT companies for clinical software development and hospital for the development of new clinical protocols.