3D visualization for medical education

5/1/2010

Linköping University in Sweden realized healthcare students were having problems with understanding the connection between physical anatomy and physiological processes. The University faculty members worked together with the Information Technology department to form a team to look at various learning tools to augment the health care curriculum. The objective of the educational development team was to enhance traditional methods of instruction, such as lectures, dissections, and textbooks with dynamic interactive visual content format. The decision to use 3D visualization as a delivery method to improve student understanding of complex materials was supported by the interactive components of the software.

Traditionally, meaning before the infusion of technology in the education, medical students learned about anatomy and physiology processes from static text book images or via dissecting corpses. The ability to study a live human body during tests was limited by the 2D inert images which in fact could hide structures or functions due to the flat format. Linköping University proposed to increase student learning by incorporating 3D visualizations into the medical and physiotherapy programs. Listed below are the goals of the educational development team:


(1) To develop different presentations formats of high quality 3D visualizations for educational use and integrate the technology in various learning situations in regular healthcare curriculum.

(2) To enhance the knowledge about students’ views and attitudes concerning the educational value of 3D visualizations in learning anatomy and physiology.[1]

The development team studied methods of incorporating CAT (Computer assisted tomography) and MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) scans with ultrasound images. Recent strides in technology using computer graphics with diagnostic images created a 3D visualization solution called volume rendering. The technology was transformed into QuickTime VR (QTVR) format, thus enabling the user to mouse over and turn the image to gain an understanding of the spatial anatomic relationship of physiological processes. Click on the links below to see the examples of the technology:

http://pubimage.hcuge.ch:8080/ and http://cmiv.liu.se/

Two pilot studies were carried out at Linköping University during the years 2005 and 2006, using second and third year students studying the cardiovascular system. The study provided the following:

1. Education on how to interpreted visualizations
2. Opportunities to apply newly gained knowledge
3. Stimulate the students’ curiosity and interest to learn
4. Clinical evaluation of normal, normal variation and pathological structures of the heart and disease progression
5. Demonstration of virtual reality theatre
6. Demonstration of self-study modules

The self-study modules were designed to give the students the ability to view the visualizations by using interactivity methods to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the heart.

The results of the studies confirmed the aim of the 3D visualization project. The students noticed increase ease in reading images and found the presentation stimulating. Many of the students experienced an ‘aha’ moment when viewing the stimulations - which reinforced functional anatomy concepts. The students also found the visualizations aided in understanding anatomy more so than physiology and made the students realize supplemental resources were needed to expand the learning know-how.

Student follow-up questionnaires on 3D visualizations revealed the following:

1. Great product but lack of time prevented usage
2. Positive reaction to the ability to rotate images for different views
3. Unlimited access to visualizations materials
4. Self-pace capabilities
5. New appreciation for the spatial proximity of bones and organs
6. Repetitive viewing increased content understandingSome students indicated
requiring help with interpreting images and asked for tutors or written explanations

In conclusion, the use of 3D visualizations in conjunction with traditional teaching modalities provides medical students with the ability to interact electronically with course concepts.

See example of 3D visualization application using Osirix software on an iPhone.


[1] Web Paper Advance 3D visualizations in student-centered medical education, Charlotte Silén, Staffan Wirell, Joanna Kvist, Eva Nylander and Örjan Smebdy, Medical Teacher, 2008, 30: e115-e124.