Subdivision Strategies for Bone Models: A Comprehensive Analysis of Geometric and Visual Quality

Abstract

Bone fracture modeling is a major challenge in medical image analysis and simulation, requiring accurate strategies to faithfully represent complex fracture patterns. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of three subdivision strategies: approximation, triangulation, and a hybrid approach. The approximation method preserves mesh topology but exhibits visual inconsistencies with non-horizontal fractures. Triangulation accurately represents fractures but alters mesh topology. The hybrid approach balances geometric accuracy and visual fidelity by dynamically adjusting an approximation threshold. This minimizes deviations from the original fracture pattern and maintains visual quality. Using quality metrics, we evaluate these strategies for geometric accuracy, visual fidelity, and mesh topology. Our results indicate that the hybrid approach effectively balances accuracy and visual quality, making it a promising solution for bone fracture modeling. Expert validation and quantitative metrics underscore the importance of tailored approaches for different fracture patterns. This study significantly advances computational models for clinical and research applications, offering enhanced tools for improving the accuracy and realism of bone fracture simulations, ultimately benefiting surgical planning, prosthetic design, and medical training.