Automated Mr Lumbar Vertebrae Analysis: 3D U-Net and Finite Element Analysis for Precise Segmentation and Robust Bone Strength Assessment

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects many people and leads to an increase in risk for bone fracture. The utilization of a cutting-edge 3D U-Net architecture ensures precise and efficient delineation of lumbar vertebrae structures, alleviating the time-consuming and subjective nature of manual segmentation processes. We extract vertebral bodies from the segmented prediction and employ finite element analysis to quantify vertebral bone strength, providing a robust foundation for future osteoporosis prediction. This integrated methodology demonstrates promising results in addressing the challenges associated with lumbar vertebrae segmentation and holds significant implications for improving the efficiency and reliability of bone strength assessment in clinical settings.