Application of finite element analysis in neurosurgery

Abstract

With the rapid development of computer equipment, approximation by analytical solutions has become popular in mathematical modeling. Finite element (FE) analysis uses numerical methods to solve problems with physical phenomena, and these can be applied to various geometrically complex materials, such as brain. The FE formulation can provide such diverse domains as heat conduction, torsion of elastic material, diffusion and fluid flow, and it can view different objects of study in the neurosurgical field. In this article, the various applications of FE methods are introduced to illustrate the usefulness of the technique and the link between the external biomechanical aspect and internal phenomena in brain research.