Fig. 6

Healed ribs are stiffer than intact ribs, indicating a remodeling bone callus. μCT scans were further evaluated using virtual biomechanical testing using μFE analysis. Low mineralization was defined as greater than 200 mgHa/cm³; medium mineralization as greater than 500 mgHa/cm³; and high mineralization as greater than 800 mgHa/cm³ (a). Low mineralization is marked red; medium mineralization, green; and high mineralization, blue. Each voxel was converted to a μFE brick, and compression of the sample was simulated (b). To examine torsion and bending, the x-axis was defined as bending in the plane of the chest wall, while the y-axis was defined as bending outwardly (or inwardly toward the lungs). An angular twist was stimulated to simulate torsion powers (c), and bending was simulated along the x (d) and y (e) axes. TH threshold