Abstract
Purpose
With the increasing significance of diagnostic imaging in clinical practice, long-term anatomical education and training is required to ensure that students can reliably distinguish anatomical structures and interpret images. To improve students’ motivation and prospects for learning imaging anatomy, we developed an integrated anatomical practice program combining cadaveric dissection with cadaver CT data processing and analysis during undergraduate students’ dissection courses.
Methods
Workstations imported with post-mortem CT data of dissected cadavers and various forms of clinical CT/MRI data were set in the dissection room. Medical students had free access to the imaging data during cadaver dissection, and they were challenged to process and analyze the data for submission of voluntary imaging reports on their topics of interest. Finally, we surveyed the integrated anatomical education of 481 medical students.
Results
The positive response rate to the integrated anatomical practice was 74.9%, and 79.4% of the students answered that this form of practice offered a suitable introduction to anatomical imaging. The usefulness of this approach in understanding the 2- to 3D arrangement of the human body and enhancing interest in anatomy was also confirmed. The submission rate of voluntary imaging reports also increased annually and is currently 97.4%.
Conclusion
Our integrated anatomical practice only allowed students to actively browse CT images and facilitated imaging processing and analysis of their region of interest. This practice may improve students’ long-term ability to analyze images and deepen their understanding. A competitive imaging contest may help improve students’ motivation when they begin learning imaging anatomy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The datasets used in this report are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
References
Bernard F, Richard P, Kahn A, Fournier HD (2020) Does 3D stereoscopy support anatomical education? Surg Radiol Anat 42:843–852. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02465-z
Bohl M, Francois W, Gest T (2011) Self-guided clinical cases for medical students based on postmortem CT scans of cadavers. Clin Anat 24:655–663. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.21143
Buenting M, Mueller T, Raupach T, Luers G, Wehrenberg U, Gehl A, Anders S (2016) Post mortem CT scans as a supplementary teaching method in gross anatomy. Ann Anat 208:165–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2016.05.003
Chew FS, Relyea-Chew A, Ochoa ER Jr (2006) Postmortem computed tomography of cadavers embalmed for use in teaching gross anatomy. J Comput Assist Tomogr 30:949–954. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.rct.0000232473.30033.c8
Carter JL, Patel A, Hocum G, Benninger B (2017) Thyroid gland visualization with 3D/4D ultrasound: integrated hands-on imaging in anatomical dissection laboratory. Surg Radiol Anat 39:567–572. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-016-1775-x
Chytas D, Johnson EO, Piagkou M, Tsakotos G, Babis GC, Nikolaou VS, Markatos K, Natsis K (2020) Three-dimensional printing in anatomy teaching: current evidence. Surg Radiol Anat 42:835–841. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02470-2
Dettmer S, Tschernig T, Galanski M, Pabst R, Rieck B (2010) Teaching surgery, radiology and anatomy together: the mix enhances motivation and comprehension. Surg Radiol Anat 32:791–795. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-010-0694-5
Duparc F, Grignon B, Kachlik D (2019) Editorial: history in anatomy education. Surg Radiol Anat 41:1101–1102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-019-02335-3
Fasel JHD, Aguiar D, Kiss-Bodolay D, Montet X, Kalangos A, Stimec BV, Ratib O (2016) Adapting anatomy teaching to surgical trends: a combination of classical dissection, medical imaging, and 3D-printing technologies. Surg Radiol Anat 38:361–367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-019-02335-3
Govsa F, Ozer MA, Sirinturk S, Eraslan C, Alagoz AK (2017) Creating vascular models by postprocessing computed tomography angiography images: a guide for anatomical education. Surg Radiol Anat 39:905–910. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-017-1822-2
Grignon B, Duparc F (2021) New insights in anatomical education. Surg Radiol Anat 43:467. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-021-02737-2
Iino T (2014) Current status of anatomy practice and imaging education at the University of Fukui. Innervision 29:49–51 (in Japanese)
Jacobson S, Epstein SK, Albright S, Ochieng J, Griffiths J, Coppersmith V, Polak JF (2009) Creation of virtual patients from CT images of cadavers to enhance integration of clinical and basic science student learning in anatomy. Med Teach 31:749–751. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590903124757
Kawashima T, Hoshi H, Ishihara Y, Takayanagi M, Sato F (2019) A trial of the integration of postmortem CT imaging anatomy into student’s dissection practice. Toho Med J 66:78–78
Kawashima T, Sato F (2021) First in situ 3D visualization of the human cardiac conduction system and its transformation associated with heart contour and inclination. Sci Rep 11:8636. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88109-7
Kotzé SH, Mole CG, Greyling LM (2012) The translucent cadaver: an evaluation of the use of full body digital X-ray images and drawings in surface anatomy education. Anat Sci Educ 5:287–294. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1277
Kotzé SH, Driescher ND, Mole CG (2013) The translucent cadaver: a follow-up study to gauge the efficacy of implementing changes suggested by students. Anat Sci Educ 6:433–439. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1365
Kourdioukova EV, Valcke M, Derese A, Verstraete KL (2011) Analysis of radiology education in undergraduate medical doctors training in Europe. Eur J Radiol 78:309–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2010.08.026
Lufler RS, Zumwalt AC, Romney CA, Hoagland TM (2010) Incorporating radiology into medical gross anatomy: does the use of cadaver CT scans improve students’ academic performance in anatomy? Anat Sci Educ 3:56–63. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.141
Marker DR, Bansal AK, Juluru K, Magid D (2010) Developing a radiology-based teaching approach for gross anatomy in the digital era. Acad Radiol 17:1057–1065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2010.02.016
Matsuno Y, Yamamoto S, Miyaso H, Ohta M, Suzuki T, Komiyama M, Mori C (2009) Trial application of computed tomography (CT) to donated cadavers during human gross anatomy laboratories and anticipated educational effects. Chiba Med J 85:237–240
McMenamin PG (2008) Body painting as a tool in clinical anatomy teaching. Anat Sci Educ 1:139–144. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.32
McNulty JA, Halama J, Espiritu B (2004) Evaluation of computer-aided instruction in the medical gross anatomy curriculum. Clin Anat 17:73–78. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.10188
Murakami T, Tajika Y, Ueno H, Awata S, Hirasawa S, Sugimoto M, Kominato Y, Tsushima Y, Endo K, Yorifuji H (2014) An integrated teaching method of gross anatomy and computed tomography radiology. Anat Sci Educ 7:438–449. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1430
Paech D, Klopries K, Nawrotzki R, Schlemmer HP, Giesel FL, Kirsch J, Schultz JH, Kuner T, Doll S (2021) Strengths and weaknesses of non-enhanced and contrast-enhanced cadaver computed tomography scans in the teaching of gross anatomy in an integrated curriculum. Anat Sci Educ. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2034
Royer DF (2016) The role of ultrasound in graduate anatomy education: current state of integration in the United States and faculty perceptions. Anat Sci Educ 9:453–467. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1598
Tomita K (2020) A new attempt in the practical course of human dissection of Tokushima University. Shikoku Acta Med 76:241–242
Acknowledgements
The authors sincerely thank the donors who facilitated anatomical education. The authors also thank the past and current staff, Prof. Takayanagi, Prof. Shimizu, Dr. Ishihara, Mr. Sasaki, Mr. Ishikawa, Prof. Hoshi, and Prof. Sudou, for their valuable help and understanding of this trial.
We would like to thank Editage for English language editing.
Funding
This study was supported by the Grant for the Promotion of Education Reform (Education GP) of Toho University (2018) (PI, T.K.).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
TK: project development, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript writing and editing. MS: data collection and management. KH: data collection and management. FS: project management and manuscript editing.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethics approval
The protocol for this study was reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of Toho University Faculty of Medicine (reference numbers: A20003_A17105 & A20005_A17121(A17105)). All of the work was confirmed with the provisions of the 1995 Declaration of Helsinki (revised in Edinburgh in 2000).
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kawashima, T., Sakai, M., Hiramatsu, K. et al. Integrated anatomical practice combining cadaver dissection and matched cadaver CT data processing and analysis. Surg Radiol Anat 44, 335–343 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02890-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02890-2