MRI Integrated with Computational Methods for Determining Internal Soft Tissue Loads as Related to Chronic Wounds

Excessive and prolonged internal soft tissue loads are one of the main factors responsible for the initiation of internal injuries that may, if ignored or untreated, escalate into chronic wounds. Since internal tissue loads cannot be measured in vivo, computational methods that incorporate the actual anatomy of the living body, are currently the best available resource for acquiring internal mechanical knowledge. In this chapter we discuss various methods that use computational modeling integrated with anatomical data, scanned by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to determine internal soft tissue loads. Specifically we will elaborate on linear and non-linear finite element (FE) methods and hyperelastic warping