Interdimensional Travel: Visualisation of 3D-2D Transitions in Anatomy Learning

Everyone can draw: An inclusive and transformative activity for conceptualization of topographic anatomy

Anatomical drawing traditionally involves illustration of labeled diagrams on two-dimensional surfaces to represent topographical features. Despite the visual nature of anatomy, many learners perceive that they lack drawing skills and do not engage in art-based learning. Recent advances in the capabilities of technology-enhanced learning have enabled the rapid and inexpensive production of three-dimensional anatomical models. This work describes a "drawing on model" activity in which learners observe and draw specific structures onto three-dimensional models. Sport and exercise sciences (SES, n = 79) and medical (MED, n = 156) students at a United Kingdom medical school completed this activity using heart and femur models, respectively. Learner demographics, their perceptions of anatomy learning approaches, the value of the activity, and their confidence in understanding anatomical features, were obtained via validated questionnaire. Responses to 7-point Likert-type and free-text items were analyzed by descriptive statistics and semi-quantitative content analysis. Learners valued art-based study (SES mean = 5.94 SD ±0.98; MED = 5.92 ± 1.05) and the "drawing on model" activity (SES = 6.33 ± 0.93; MED = 6.21 ± 0.94) and reported enhanced confidence in understanding of cardiac anatomy (5.61 ± 1.11), coronary arteries (6.03 ± 0.83), femur osteology (6.07 ± 1.07), and hip joint muscle actions (5.80 ± 1.20). Perceptions of learners were independent of both their sex and their art-based study preferences (p < 0.05). Themes constructed from free-text responses identified "interactivity," "topography," "transformative," and "visualization," as key elements of the approach, in addition to revealing some limitations. This work will have implications for anatomy educators seeking to engage learners in an inclusive, interactive, and effective learning activity for supporting three-dimensional anatomical understanding.

Transforming musculoskeletal anatomy learning with haptic surface painting

Anatomical body painting has traditionally been utilized to support learner engagement and understanding of surface anatomy. Learners apply two-dimensional representations of surface markings directly on to the skin, based on the identification of key landmarks. Esthetically satisfying representations of musculature and viscera can also be created. However, established body painting approaches do not typically address three-dimensional spatial anatomical concepts. Haptic Surface Painting (HSP) is a novel activity, distinct from traditional body painting, and aims to develop learner spatial awareness. The HSP process is underpinned by previous work describing how a Haptico-visual observation and drawing method can support spatial, holistic, and collaborative anatomy learning. In HSP, superficial and underlying musculoskeletal and vascular structures are located haptically by palpation. Transparent colors are then immediately applied to the skin using purposive and cross-contour drawing techniques to produce corresponding visual representations of learner observation and cognition. Undergraduate students at a United Kingdom medical school (n = 7) participated in remote HSP workshops and focus groups. A phenomenological study of learner perspectives identified four themes from semantic qualitative analysis of transcripts: Three-dimensional haptico-visual exploration relating to learner spatial awareness of their own anatomy; cognitive freedom and accessibility provided by a flexible and empowering learning process; altered perspectives of anatomical detail, relationships, and clinical relevance; and delivery and context, relating to curricular integration, session format, and educator guidance. This work expands the pedagogic repertoire of anatomical body painting and has implications for anatomy educators seeking to integrate innovative, engaging, and effective learning approaches for transforming student learning.

Bridging neuroradiology and neuroanatomy: NOWinBRAIN-a repository with sequences of correlated and labeled planar-surface neuroimages

Purpose: Integrating neuroradiology with neuroanatomy is essential in medical neuroeducation and neuroimage interpretation. To bridge 2D neuroradiology and 3D neuroanatomy, spatially correlated pairs of labeled images were employed, planar radiologic, and planar-surface combined. Research design: The method employs a 3D fully parcellated and labeled brain atlas extended to the head and neck with about 3000 3D components to create planar radiologic and surface neuroanatomic images. The atlas handles reformatted radiologic images as 3D objects using texture mapping which provides consistency with polygonal 3D neuroanatomic structures. This ensures a precise spatial correspondence of dual 2D-2D/3D images for any composed 3D scene reformatted in arbitrary orientation. The sequences of labeled dual images were created spanning a structure/system of interest in multiple orientations. To facilitate image searching, the image name encodes its content, orientation, and stereotactic location. Results: Labeled dual 2D-2D/3D neuroimage sequences in multiple orientations were created for the cerebrum, brainstem, deep nuclei, cerebral ventricles, intracranial arteries, dural sinuses, extracranial arteries, extracranial veins, trigeminal nerve, head muscles, glands, bones of cranium, and visual system. They all were hierarchically organized as a planar-surface gallery with 42 folders and 502 neuroimages. This gallery was integrated with a public NOWinBRAIN repository at www.nowinbrain.org with more than 7700 neuroimages. Conclusions: Owing to its advantages, simplicity, and free availability, this resource is useful for medical students, residents, educators, and clinicians to study the brain, head, and neck as well as to prepare presentations and teaching materials. The approach might potentially enhance image interpretation by integrating brain atlases with radiologic workstations.

Anatomy in Practice: How Do Equine and Production Animal Veterinarians Apply Anatomy in Primary Care Settings?

To successfully prepare veterinary undergraduates for the workplace, it is critical that anatomy educators consider the context in which developing knowledge and skills will be applied. This study aimed to establish how farm animal and equine general practitioners use anatomy and related skills within their daily work. Qualitative ethnographic data in the form of observations and semi-structured interviews were collected from 12 veterinarians working in equine or farm animal first-opinion practice. Data underwent thematic analysis using a grounded theory approach. The five themes identified were relevant to both equine and farm animal veterinarians and represented the breadth and complexity of anatomy, its importance for professional and practical competence, as well as the requirement for continuous learning. The centrality and broad and multifaceted nature of anatomy was found to challenge equine and farm animal veterinarians, highlighting that essential anatomy knowledge and related skills are vital for their professional and practical competence. This aligns with the previously described experiences of companion animal clinicians. In equine practice, the complexity of anatomical knowledge required was particularly high, especially in relation to diagnostic imaging and assessing normal variation. This resulted in greater importance being placed on formal and informal professional development opportunities. For farm animal clinicians, anatomy application in the context of necropsy and euthanasia was particularly noted. Our findings allow anatomy educators to design appropriate and effective learning opportunities to ensure that veterinary graduates are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and resources required to succeed in first-opinion veterinary practice.

Digital science platform: an interactive web application and database of osteological material for anatomy education

BACKGROUND

To meet the remote-learning constraints imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Digital Science Platform was developed. Human anatomy courses require practical classes that involve working on prepared specimens, although access to such specimens has been restricted. Therefore, the aim was to prepare appropriate-quality, scanned 3D model databases of human bone specimens and an interactive web application for universal access to educational materials.

MAIN BODY

The database is located on the pcn.cnt.edu.pl website and contains 412 three-dimensional osteological models created via a structured light scanner, tomography and microtomography. The webservice contains a search engine and enables interactive visualization of the models. The database can be accessed, without restrictions, by any student or researcher wishing to use the models for noncommercial purposes. The stored models can be visualized with the open-source VisNow platform, which is also available to download from the webservice. The MariaDB backend database was deployed, and an Apache server with a personal home page (PHP) frontend was used.

CONCLUSION

The models in the database are unique due to the specific digitalization process and skeleton specimen origin. Further development of the Digital Science Platform is foreseen in the near future to digitize other valuable materials.

Exploring Visualisation for Embryology Education: A Twenty-First-Century Perspective

Embryology and congenital malformations play a key role in multiple medical specialties including obstetrics and paediatrics. The process of learning clinical embryology involves two basic principles; firstly, understanding time-sensitive morphological changes that happen in the developing embryo and, secondly, appreciating the clinical implications of congenital conditions when development varies from the norm. Visualising the sequence of dynamic events in embryonic development is likely to be challenging for students, as these processes occur not only in three dimensions but also in the fourth dimensions of time. Consequently, features identified at any one timepoint can subsequently undergo morphological transitions into distinct structures or may degenerate and disappear. When studying embryology, learners face significant challenges in understanding complex, multiple and simultaneous events which are likely to increase student cognitive load. Moreover, the embryology content is very nonlinear. This nonlinear content presentation makes embryology teaching challenging for educators. Embryology is typically taught in large groups, via didactic lecture presentations that incorporate two-dimensional diagrams or foetal ultrasound images. This approach is limited by incomplete or insufficient visualisation and lack of interactivity.It is recommended that the focus of embryology teaching should instill an understanding of embryological processes and emphasise conceptualising the potential congenital conditions that can occur, linking pre-clinical and clinical disciplines together. A variety of teaching methods within case-based and problem-based curricula are commonly used to teach embryology. Additional and supplementary resources including animations and videos are also typically utilised to demonstrate complex embryological processes such as septation, rotation and folding.We propose that there is a need for embryology teaching in the twenty-first century to evolve. This is particularly required in terms of appropriate visualisation resources and teaching methodologies which can ensure embryology learning is relevant to real-world scenarios. Here we explore embryology teaching resources and methodologies and review existing evidence-based studies on their implementation and impact on student learning. In doing so, we aim to inform and support the practice of embryology educators and the learning of their students.

Multimodal Three-Dimensional Visualization Enhances Novice Learner Interpretation of Basic Cross-Sectional Anatomy

While integrated delivery of anatomy and radiology can support undergraduate anatomical education, the interpretation of complex three-dimensional spatial relationships in cross-sectional and radiological images is likely to be demanding for novices. Due to the value of technology-enhanced and multimodal strategies, it was hypothesized that simultaneous digital and physical learning could enhance student understanding of cross-sectional anatomy. A novel learning approach introduced at a United Kingdom university medical school combined visualization table-based thoracic cross-sections and digital models with a three-dimensional printed heart. A mixed-method experimental and survey approach investigated student perceptions of challenging anatomical areas and compared the multimodal intervention to a two-dimensional cross-section control. Analysis of seven-point Likert-type responses of new medical students (n = 319) found that clinical imaging (mean 5.64 SD ± 1.20) was significantly more challenging (P < 0.001) than surface anatomy (4.19 ± 1.31) and gross anatomy (4.92 ± 1.22). Pre-post testing of students who used the intervention during their first anatomy class at medical school (n = 229), identified significant increases (P < 0.001) in thoracic cross-sectional anatomy interpretation performance (mean 31.4% ± 15.3) when compared to the subsequent abdominal control activity (24.1% ± 17.6). Student test scores were independent of mental-rotation ability. As depicted on a seven-point Likert-type scale, the intervention may have contributed to students considering cross-sectional interpretation of thoracic images (4.2 ± 1.23) as significantly less challenging (P < 0.001) than comparable abdominal images (5.59 ± 1.14). These findings could have implications for how multimodal cross-sectional anatomy learning approaches are implemented within medical curricula.

A Novel Cadaveric Embalming Technique for Enhancing Visualisation of Human Anatomy

Within the discipline of anatomical education, the use of donated human cadavers in laboratory-based learning activities is often described as the 'gold standard' resource for supporting student understanding of anatomy. Due to both historical and educational factors, cadaveric dissection has traditionally been the approach against which other anatomy learning modalities and resources have been judged. To prepare human donors for teaching purposes, bodies must be embalmed with fixative agents to preserve the tissues. Embalmed cadavers can then be dissected by students or can be prosected or plastinated to produce teaching resources. Here, we describe the history of cadaveric preservation in anatomy education and review the practical strengths and limitations of current approaches for the embalming of human bodies. Furthermore, we investigate the pedagogic benefits of a range of established modern embalming techniques. We describe relevant cadaveric attributes and their impacts on learning, including the importance of colour, texture, smell, and joint mobility. We also explore the emotional and humanistic elements of the use of human donors in anatomy education, and the relative impact of these factors when alternative types of embalming process are performed. Based on these underpinnings, we provide a technical description of our modern Newcastle-WhitWell embalming process. In doing so, we aim to inform anatomy educators and technical staff seeking to embalm human donors rapidly and safely and at reduced costs, while enhancing visual and haptic tissue characteristics. We propose that our technique has logistical and pedagogic implications, both for the development of embalming techniques and for student visualisation and learning.