A Feature-Based Morphing Methodology for Biological Structures Applied to the Spatial Organization of Cardiomyocytes in the Left Atrium

When complex biological structures are modeled, one of the most critical issues is the assignment of geometrical, mechanical and electrical properties to the meshed surfaces. Properties of interest are commonly obtained from diagnostic imaging, experimental tests or anatomical observation. These parameters are usually lumped into individual values assigned to a specific region after subdividing the structure in sub-regions. This practice simplifies the problem avoiding the cumbersome assignment of parameter values to each element. However, sub-regions may not adequately represent the smooth transition between regions thus resulting in artificial discontinuities. In addition, some parameters, such as for example the organization of cardiomyocytes, which is the objective of our research, may be obtained through destructive tests or through sophisticated methods that can only be performed on a limited number of samples. Or else, data structure obtained for one animal species could be applied on a different species. Furthermore, in a clinical environment the need for fast turnout of patient-specific models would benefit from the assignment of tissue properties in a semi-automatic manner.