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Documentation and three‐dimensional modelling of human soleus muscle architecture
Author(s) -
Agur Anne M.,
NgThowHing Victor,
Ball Kevin A.,
Fiume Eugene,
McKee Nancy Hunt
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/ca.10112
Subject(s) - soleus muscle , bundle , architecture , computer science , documentation , fiber , anatomy , cadaver , medicine , biomedical engineering , skeletal muscle , materials science , composite material , geography , archaeology , programming language
Abstract The purpose of this study was to visualize and document the architecture of the human soleus muscle throughout its entire volume. The architecture was visualized by creating a three‐dimensional (3D) manipulatable computer model of an entire cadaveric soleus, in situ, using B‐spline solid to display muscle fiber bundles that had been serially dissected, pinned, and digitized. A database of fiber bundle length and angle of pennation throughout the marginal, posterior, and anterior soleus was compiled. The computer model allowed documentation of the architectural parameters in 3D space, with the angle of pennation being measured relative to the tangent plane of the point of attachment of a fiber bundle. Before this study, the only architectural parameters that have been recorded have been 2D. Three‐dimensional reconstruction is an exciting innovation because it makes feasible the creation of an architectural database and allows visualization of each fiber bundle in situ from any perspective. It was concluded that the architecture is non‐uniform throughout the volume of soleus. Detailed architectural studies may lead to the development of muscle models that can more accurately predict interaction between muscle parts, force generation, and the effect of pathologic states on muscle function. Clin. Anat. 16:285–293, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.