Figure 5.

(A) Image of a human IVD obtained from the pMRI system; scale bar 5 mm. (B) The 3D view of a human IVD mesh in Abaqus. (C) The cut view of a simulation of the human IVD under compression load of 0.3 MPa showing the stress distribution of the model. The internal normal strains and shear strains for a human L4/L5 intervertebral disc. (D) The annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus data are combined. The strain directions are represented by the following key, 1= x direction, 2= y direction, 3= z direction, 12= xy plane, 13= xz plane, 23= yz plane. The nucleus has a slightly larger strain than the annulus. LE33 is shown as negative strain because the load was applied in the negative z direction. AF, annulus fibrosus; NP, nucleus pulposus; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; IVD, intervertebral disc.