Hip fracture is the leading cause of acute orthopaedic hospital admission amongst the elderly, with around a third of patients not surviving one-year post-fracture. Current risk assessment tools ignore cortical bone thinning, a focal structural defect characterizing hip fragility. Cortical thickness can be measured using computed tomography, but this is expensive and involves a significant radiation dose. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the preferred imaging modality for assessing fracture risk, and is used routinely in clinical practice. This thesis proposes two novel methods which measure the cortical thickness of the proximal femur from multi-view DXA scans. First, a data-driven algorithm is designed, implemented and evaluated. It relies on a femoral B-spline template which can be deformed to fit an individual?s scans. In a series of experiments on the trochanteric regions of 120 proximal femurs, the algorithm?s performance limits were established using twenty views in the range 0? ? 171?: estimation errors were 0.00 ? 0.50 mm. In a clinically viable protocol using four views in the range ?20? to 40?, measurement errors were ?0.05 ? 0.54 mm. The second algorithm accomplishes the same task by deforming statistical shape and thickness models, both trained using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Three training cohorts are used to investigate (a) the estimation efficacy as a function of the diversity in the training set and (b) the possibility of improving performance by building tailored models for different populations. In a series of cross-validation experiments involving 120 femurs, minimum estimation errors were 0.00 ? 0.59 mm and ?0.01 ? 0.61 mm for the twenty- and four-view experiments respectively, when fitting the tailored models. Statistical significance tests reveal that the template algorithm is more precise than the statistical, and that both are superior to a blind estimator which naively assumes the population mean, but only in regions of thicker cortex. It is concluded that cortical thickness measured from DXA is unlikely to assist fracture prediction in the femoral neck and trochanters, but might have applicability in the sub-trochanteric region.

The aim of this semestral thesis is to compare the possibilities of available micro-CT systems. Theoretic part of this thesis there deals with possibilities of staining soft tissues and embryos because of enhancement the contrast of micro-CT images. Here follows a description of sources X-ray and detectors of available micro-CT systems. In practice there was realized the staining of embryo in cooperation with Department of histology and embryology in Brno. Then followed a measuring on FSI in Brno, ČVUT in Prague and synchrotron Elettra in Italy. In semestral thesis are described of the thesis there are compared the micro-CT systems and results of measuring embryos by means of presented systems and results are compared.The best results were obtained on micro-CT in Brno, where X-ray tube and flat panel detector were used. This images were used for a segmentation of cartilage olfactory system by means of 3D region growing. From results they were created 3D models for comparison with a manually segmented model. A less accurate results were obtain with the semi-automatic segmentation but this method isn’t too time-consuming.

This project explores the reliability of building a biological profile for an unknown individual based on three-dimensional (3D) images of the individual's skeleton. 3D imaging technology has been widely researched for medical and engineering applications, and it is increasingly being used as a tool for anthropological inquiry. While the question of whether a biological profile can be derived from 3D images of a skeleton with the same accuracy as achieved when using dry bones has been explored, bigger sample sizes, a standardized scanning protocol and more interobserver error data are needed before 3D methods can become widely and confidently used in forensic anthropology. 3D images of Computed Tomography (CT) scans were obtained from 130 innominate bones from Boston University's skeletal collection (School of Medicine). For each bone, both 3D images and original bones were assessed using the Phenice and Suchey-Brooks methods. Statistical analysis was used to determine the agreement between 3D image assessment versus traditional assessment. A pool of six individuals with varying experience in the field of forensic anthropology scored a subsample (n = 20) to explore interobserver error. While a high agreement was found for age and sex estimation for specimens scored by the author, the interobserver study shows that observers found it difficult to apply standard methods to 3D images. Higher levels of experience did not result in higher agreement between observers, as would be expected. Thus, a need for training in 3D visualization before applying anthropological methods to 3D bones is suggested. Future research should explore interobserver error using a larger sample size in order to test the hypothesis that training in 3D visualization will result in a higher agreement between scores. The need for the development of a standard scanning protocol focusing on the optimization of 3D image resolution is highlighted. Applications for this research include the possibility of digitizing skeletal collections in order to expand their use and for deriving skeletal collections from living populations and creating population-specific standards. Further research for the development of a standard scanning and processing protocol is needed before 3D methods in forensic anthropology are considered as reliable tools for generating biological profiles.

The thesis presents computational simulation of compression test of a nickel foam and the 3D reconstruction of micro-CT images was utilized to generate the foam’s model of geometry. Explicit FEM is used to simulate compression test using software tool LS-DYNA and the stress–deformation curve is obtained together with deformed model’s mesh used for subsequent analysis. Sensitivity analyses were performed to configure the model and ensure best fit with values obtained during real-life experiment. The ANSYS Classic environment was then used to simulate tensile test of the foam compressed to various thicknesses. The tensile moduli in three mutually perpendicular directions of nickel foam were computed and the results were compared to experimental values as well. The results of tensile test simulation revealed considerable anisotropy of the foam’s elastic behavior. It can be said that the measured experimental data correspond very well with the elastic properties obtained from simulation up to certain level of compression. Analysis of the relationship between the element size and tensile moduli showed a significant difference between fine and coarse mesh. The optimal level of discretization and the overall model configuration ensuring high level of accuracy is proposed in this thesis.

This diploma thesis is focused on time-development analysis of treated lesion in CT data. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of the spine and vertebral bodies. It further describes diagnostic and therapeutic options for the detection and treatment of spinal lesions. It contains an overview of the current state of usage of time-development analysis in oncology. The problems of the available databases are discussed and new databases are created for subsequent analysis. Futhermore, the methodology of time-development analysis according to the shape characterization and the size of the vertebral involvement is proposed. The proposed methodological approaches to feature extraction are applied to the created databases. Their choice and suitability is discussed, including their potential for possible usege in clinical practice of monitoring the development and derivation of characteristic dependences of features on the patient's prognosis.

A key challenge facing the nuclear fusion community is how to design a reactor that will operate in environmental conditions not easily reproducible in the laboratory for materials testing. Finite element analysis (FEA), commonly used to predict components’ performance, typically uses idealised geometries. An emerging technique shown to have improved accuracy is image based finite element modelling (IBFEM). This involves converting a three dimensional image (such as from X ray tomography) into an FEA mesh. A main advantage of IBFEM is that models include micro structural and non idealised manufacturing features. The aim of this work was to investigate the thermal performance of a CFC Cu divertor monoblock, a carbon fibre composite (CFC) tile joined through its centre to a CuCrZr pipe with a Cu interlayer. As a plasma facing component located where thermal flux in the reactor is at its highest, one of its primary functions is to extract heat by active cooling. Therefore, characterisation of its thermal performance is vital. Investigation of the thermal performance of CFC Cu joining methods by laser flash analysis and X ray tomography showed a strong correlation between micro structures at the material interface and a reduction in thermal conductivity. Therefore, this problem leant itself well to be investigated further by IBFEM. However, because these high resolution models require such large numbers of elements, commercial FEA software could not be used. This served as motivation to develop parallel software capable of performing the necessary transient thermal simulations. The resultant code was shown to scale well with increasing problem sizes and a simulation with 137 million elements was successfully completed using 4096 cores. In comparison with a low resolution IBFEM and traditional FEA simulations it was demonstrated to provide additional accuracy. IBFEM was used to simulate a divertor monoblock mock up, where it was found that a region of delamination existed on the CFC Cu interface. Predictions showed that if this was aligned unfavourably it would increase thermal gradients across the component thus reducing lifespan. As this was a feature introduced in manufacturing it would not have been accounted for without IBFEM.The technique developed in this work has broad engineering applications. It could be used similarly to accurately model components in conditions unfeasible to produce in the laboratory, to assist in research and development of component manufacturing or to verify commercial components against manufacturers’ claims.