Construction of Fracture Line Maps and Finite Element Biomechanical Analysis of Lumbar Vertebral Compression Fractures

Construction of Fracture Line Maps and Finite Element Biomechanical Analysis of Lumbar Vertebral Compression Fractures | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Construction of Fracture Line Maps and Finite Element Biomechanical Analysis of Lumbar Vertebral Compression Fractures Li Xiaoteng¹, Lü Fengzi³, Tang Xin¹, Jia Peng¹, Gao Yang¹ This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8755672/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Objective To construct three-dimensional fracture line maps for L1-L5 lumbar vertebral compression fractures and, integrated with finite element analysis, reveal their underlying biomechanical mechanisms, thereby providing a foundation for precise clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on CT imaging data from 220 patients with lumbar compression fractures admitted between February 2022 and August 2025. Fracture line maps were generated using three-dimensional reconstruction and spatial registration techniques. Based on CT data from a healthy volunteer, individualized finite element models of isolated L1-L5 vertebrae were established. All methods were performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. These models were used to simulate and analyze stress distribution under five physiological loading conditions: vertical standing, flexion, extension, left lateral bending, and left axial rotation. Results Fracture lines were predominantly concentrated in the anterosuperior region of the vertebral body (cubes UL-1, UM-1, UR-1). The spatial distribution pattern of fracture lines from L1 to L5 exhibited a transition from “anterosuperior concentration” to “multi-directional dispersion.” Finite element analysis revealed that under vertical loading, stress concentrated in the anterosuperior portion of the vertebral body. For all vertebral levels, the peak stress was highest during flexion. Notably, the anterosuperior region demonstrated persistent high-stress concentration across all simulated postures. Conclusion The anterosuperior region of the lumbar vertebral body is identified as a “vertebral stress core zone,” representing a high-risk area for compression fractures. The synergistic combination of fracture line mapping and finite element analysis systematically elucidates the fracture mechanism from both morphological and biomechanical perspectives. Health sciences/Anatomy Health sciences/Health care Health sciences/Medical research Lumbar vertebral compression fracture Fracture line map Finite element analysis Biomechanics Stress core zone Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8755672","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":598690912,"identity":"34a62a7d-f8b4-47b0-83bd-1d7d1c8d78f7","order_by":0,"name":"Li Xiaoteng¹","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Li","middleName":"","lastName":"Xiaoteng¹","suffix":""},{"id":598690923,"identity":"73b16663-1303-46d8-8ec5-3d546dd1a32b","order_by":1,"name":"Lü Fengzi³","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Henan Provincial People's Hospital","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lü","middleName":"","lastName":"Fengzi³","suffix":""},{"id":598690925,"identity":"7666c628-3144-4e84-9364-af23dbd834e9","order_by":2,"name":"Tang Xin¹","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3ElEQVRIie3RsQrCMBCA4ZPCuRS7XlHqK1SE4uM0CJ0qOEmFDgUlDiquPkZHx7rEJTrXrb6Bbg6CQgcXpambQ745P5dLADTtD6G1uWYUoYnN2b7wo1idtCjrFQPZcixTDN1CCnXigN93p9zp29vQsy9zo8bFIAvozD2WShFELEGwFku/OjESYW9PAUsPM5GzXQdIHlPFlD1v00SUU3ImEVwaqZIhth/4ZGkeemPGjTpJYLjEsVwf6iUkGwVJLB+ZfClM5S7dzQreX3m7R7FjLdbVyQfzt+OapmnaVy+PrE2KBkZfwwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tang","middleName":"","lastName":"Xin¹","suffix":""},{"id":598690934,"identity":"0b996c0b-6ab1-42c0-8ebb-d786a04bc359","order_by":3,"name":"Jia Peng¹","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jia","middleName":"","lastName":"Peng¹","suffix":""},{"id":598690938,"identity":"a06dc33e-253f-4fb5-b2b5-2e4607e07c03","order_by":4,"name":"Gao Yang¹","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gao","middleName":"","lastName":"Yang¹","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-01 11:08:28","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8755672/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8755672/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105437912,"identity":"c4027a3d-368b-47f0-95a0-1cdbd0f595cc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-26 04:40:25","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1103744,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"LVCF.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8755672/v1_covered_efe0c246-1ac5-48cd-9bc0-50d50185cd53.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Construction of Fracture Line Maps and Finite Element Biomechanical Analysis of Lumbar Vertebral Compression Fractures","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Lumbar vertebral compression fracture, Fracture line map, Finite element analysis, Biomechanics, Stress core zone","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8755672/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8755672/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo construct three-dimensional fracture line maps for L1-L5 lumbar vertebral compression fractures and, integrated with finite element analysis, reveal their underlying biomechanical mechanisms, thereby providing a foundation for precise clinical diagnosis and treatment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA retrospective analysis was conducted on CT imaging data from 220 patients with lumbar compression fractures admitted between February 2022 and August 2025. Fracture line maps were generated using three-dimensional reconstruction and spatial registration techniques. Based on CT data from a healthy volunteer, individualized finite element models of isolated L1-L5 vertebrae were established. All methods were performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. These models were used to simulate and analyze stress distribution under five physiological loading conditions: vertical standing, flexion, extension, left lateral bending, and left axial rotation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFracture lines were predominantly concentrated in the anterosuperior region of the vertebral body (cubes UL-1, UM-1, UR-1). The spatial distribution pattern of fracture lines from L1 to L5 exhibited a transition from \u0026ldquo;anterosuperior concentration\u0026rdquo; to \u0026ldquo;multi-directional dispersion.\u0026rdquo; Finite element analysis revealed that under vertical loading, stress concentrated in the anterosuperior portion of the vertebral body. For all vertebral levels, the peak stress was highest during flexion. Notably, the anterosuperior region demonstrated persistent high-stress concentration across all simulated postures.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe anterosuperior region of the lumbar vertebral body is identified as a \u0026ldquo;vertebral stress core zone,\u0026rdquo; representing a high-risk area for compression fractures. The synergistic combination of fracture line mapping and finite element analysis systematically elucidates the fracture mechanism from both morphological and biomechanical perspectives.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Construction of Fracture Line Maps and Finite Element Biomechanical Analysis of Lumbar Vertebral Compression Fractures","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-02 17:43:41","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8755672/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"4301f15c-2abd-452d-8568-77f5bec0ff6b","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 2nd, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":63711311,"name":"Health sciences/Anatomy"},{"id":63711312,"name":"Health sciences/Health care"},{"id":63711313,"name":"Health sciences/Medical research"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-26T04:40:09+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-02 17:43:41","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8755672","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8755672","identity":"rs-8755672","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}