3-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE RAT TRICEPS SURAE MUSCLE AND FINITE-ELEMENT MESH GENERATION OF THE GASTROCNEMIUS MEDIALIS MUSCLE

In order to simulate blood flow in skeletal muscle, our group has deve loped a finite element description of perfused skeletal muscle. This m odel requires input parameters concerning the vascular system, muscle contraction and the geometry of a muscle, including its aponeuroses. T he objective of the present paper is to create a geometrical reconstru ction of the rat gastrocnemius medialis muscle that can be incorporate d in the finite element model. Since this muscle is connected to the p lantaris and the gastrocnemius lateralis muscle, a detailed computer g raphical reconstruction of the triceps surae muscle, based on histolog ical cross-sections, has been accomplished first. Using this reconstru ction, relevant sections were selected to create the finite element me sh of the gastrocnemius medialis muscle. Special attention was payed t o the location of the aponeuroses. The mesh can be used in finite elem ent simulations of perfused skeletal muscle.