Internet Web-based teaching for cross-sectional anatomy and radiological imaging

Abstract

In using clinical cases to teach cross-sectional anatomy to first-year medical students as well as to students in their clinical rotations, it is important to carefully design the concepts that will foster an understanding of functional and structural relationships in anatomy. In this paper, a radiological image database was developed using ICD-9 codes and diagnostic reports. The ICD-9 codes facilitated the retrieval of images that appropriately demonstrated the concepts being taught in the clinical case. Using an interactive World Wide Web interface, these images, along with digital images of traditional dissections were integrated with the clinical case. The Web interface guides the student through the case and includes a self-assessment of concepts presented in previous cases to promote active learning of cross-sectional anatomy.