Bone material properties and fracture analysis: Needle insertion for spinal surgery

The effectiveness of percutaneous needle-based therapy and biopsy is demonstrated in a wide variety of medical problems including spinal disorders. Combined with osteoporosis, spinal disorders are increasingly prevalent as our society ages. However, the final position of the needle depends on a complex interplay of material properties of the bone and/or pathology, as well as the shape and material of the needle, and the insertion dynamics. This paper is a survey of the literature in the area of bone material properties and needle/bone interaction in the context of needle placement. It describes research findings on bone material properties and fractures using micro-CT imaging, and integrative imaging. This review paper also discusses the feasibility of using computational methods to predict fracture by simulating needle placement on any patient-specific model with both geometrical and mechanical properties approximating those of the patient’s anatomy.