Symmetry of the Human Head—Are Symmetrical Models More Applicable in Numerical Analysis?
Monika Ratajczak,
Mariusz Ptak,
Artur Kwiatkowski,
Konrad Kubicki,
Fábio A. O. Fernandes,
Johannes Wilhelm,
Mateusz Dymek,
Marek Sawicki,
Sławomir Żółkiewski
Affiliations
Monika Ratajczak
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zielona Gora, Szafrana 4, 65-516 Zielona Gora, Poland
Mariusz Ptak
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Lukasiewicza 7/9, 50-371 Wroclaw, Poland
Artur Kwiatkowski
Department of Neurosurgery, Provincial Specialist Hospital in Legnica, Iwaszkiewicza 5, 59-220 Legnica, Poland
Konrad Kubicki
Department of Neurosurgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland
Fábio A. O. Fernandes
TEMA—Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Campus de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
The study of symmetrical and non-symmetrical effects in physics, mathematics, mechanics, medicine, and numerical methods is a current topic due to the complexity of the experiments, calculations, and virtual simulations. However, there is a limited number of research publications in computational biomechanics focusing on the symmetry of numerical head models. The majority of the models in the researched literature are symmetrical. Thus, we stated a hypothesis wherever the symmetrical models might be more applicable in numerical analysis. We carried out in-depth studies about head symmetry through clinical data, medical images, materials models, and computer analysis. We concluded that the mapping of the entire geometry of the skull and brain is essential due to the significant differences that affect the results of numerical analyses and the possibility of misinterpretation of the tissue deformation under mechanical load results.
