Jabbary Aslany F, McBain K, Chen L, O'Brien J, Noel GPJC. Comparison between pre-mortem and post-mortem cadaveric images for use with augmented reality headsets during dissection.
Surg Radiol Anat 2023;
45:1311-1319. [PMID:
37698598 DOI:
10.1007/s00276-023-03239-z]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE
Medical training has undergone many transformations to incorporate diagnostic imaging along side anatomical education. Post-mortem computed tomography (CT) scanning of body donors prior to dissection has been proposed. However, it poses challenges secondary to the embalming process and other post-mortem physiological changes that significantly alter the imaging quality. The purposes of this study were to compare the accuracy of pathology identification on pre- and post-mortem CT scans of body donors and to assess the integration of those scans in a dissection-based course, where these images were overlaid onto body donors using augmented reality (AR).
METHODS
Participants in this study included 35 fourth year medical students, 5 radiology residents and 3 radiologists. A convergent, parallel mixed methods design was employed with quantitative measures that included statistical analyses of a double-blinded comparison of pathological lesions recognition, on both image sets, the group responses to a study participant survey and the login access data from imaging repository. The study also included qualitative analysis of post-elective structured interviews.
RESULTS
The double-blinded comparison revealed that staff radiologists can only identify, on post-mortem images, 54.8% of the pathologies that they were able to detect on the pre-mortem scans. Analyses of the surveys and login access data reveal that 60% of radiology residents and 56% of students preferred pre-mortem scans and used those scans more often than post-mortem scans (67 access vs 36, respectively). However, post-mortem scans were significantly preferred when used to overlay onto body donors using AR (p = 0.0047).
CONCLUSION
These results show that post-mortem imaging can be valuable alongside pre-mortem imaging, as they represent the most concordance between the anatomical structures and pathologies seen on the images and what is being dissected.
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