Anatomy Laboratory Research Articles

Perception and Effectiveness of Online Anatomy Lab Exercise on Undergraduate Students of BPKIHS During COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Online mode of teaching learning activities were started for medical students of Nepal to reduce the risk of spreading virus during COVID-19 pandemic. BPKIHS started the modified online lab exercise (LABEX) for the undergraduate students after six months of pandemic. Objective: The main objective of study was to evaluate the student’s perception and effectiveness of modified online LABEX (prior content video uploading) during pandemic. Methods: The mixed method cross-sectional study design using semi-structured questionnaire was conducted. The questionnaire had sub-sections such as questions regarding students’ means of study, students’ perception on modified online lab exercise during pandemic and reflective writing. We collected the responses from 129 students after institutional ethical clearance and informed consent. Student’s paired test for analysis of effectiveness of modified online LABEX was done by using pre-test/post-test score. Thematic analysis was performed for reflective writing. A p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The mean age was calculated as 20.84 year. The modified online LABEX increase the scoring of students for three consecutive sessions with an average score of 1.71; 1.55 & 1.09 respectively (p<0.001). We formulated 15 codes and 3 themes from reflective writing such as strength, weakness and recommendation of modified online LABEX. We found that “Accessibility of recorded Labex” (n=54) was major strength and “less efficient of online LABEX” (n=57) was major weakness. Conclusions: Although physical form of anatomy education is best way of learning but modified online LABEX can be used as alternative during pandemic like situations in future

T1- and T2-weighted MRI signal and histology findings in suboptimally fixed human brains

Neuroscientific research that requires brain tissue depends on brain banks that provide very small tissue samples fixed by immersion in neutral-buffered formalin (NBF), while anatomy laboratories could provide full brain specimens. However, these brains are generally fixed by perfusion of the full body with solutions other than NBF generally used by brain banks, such as an alcohol-formaldehyde solution (AFS) that is typically used for dissection and teaching. Therefore, fixation quality of these brains needs to be assessed to determine their usefulness in post-mortem investigations through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histology, two common neuroimaging modalities. Here, we report the characteristics of five brains fixed by full body perfusion of an AFS from our Anatomy Laboratory suspected of being poorly fixed, given the altered signal seen on T1w MRI scans in situ. We describe 1- the characteristics of the donors; 2- the fixation procedures applied for each case; 3- the tissue contrast characteristics of the T1w and T2w images; 4- the macroscopic tissue quality after extraction of the brains; 5- the macroscopic arterial characteristics and presence or absence of blood clots; and 6- four histological stains of the areas that we suspected were poorly fixed. We conclude that multiple factors can affect the fixation quality of the brain. Nevertheless, cases in which brain fixation is suboptimal, consequently altering the T1w signal, still have T2w of adequate gray-matter to white-matter contrast and may also be used for histology stains with sufficient quality.

Profiles, tissue and microbial integrity of cadavers used in medical faculties in South-western Uganda: implication in anatomical education.

Cadaveric dissection has remained an integral part of anatomical education globally; hence, the profiles of cadavers, their gross tissue and microbial integrity has great implication in anatomical education. This study determined the profiles, gross tissue and microbial integrity of cadavers used in South-western Uganda (SWU) medical schools. A cross-sectional study was carried out for three months in anatomy and microbiology laboratories of SWU medical teaching institutions. Ethical approval was obtained, cadavers were proportionately selected and examined grossly, and surface swabs taken for microbial analysis. Data collected was entered into Microsoft Excel, cleaned, and exported to Stata version 17 for analysis. Majority of cadavers were male (68%), adult (96%), blacks (100%), unknown cause of death (96%), obtained as unclaimed bodies (100%) and with no cadaver record tag (96%). Nearly a half (48%) cadavers had disrupted dentition, 68% had poor muscle integrity and 80% with abnormal fat. About 27% cadavers had poor surface microbial integrity among which 62.5% had a mixture of both bacteria and fungi, 25.0% had only fungi while 12.5% had only bacteria. A high number of cadavers had micro-organisms on their surfaces with majority having a mixture of bacteria and fungi. Majority of cadavers had poor gross tissue integrity. Better cadaver preservation methods should be adopted. To advocate for the establishment of cadaver donation policy and programs through which good quality cadavers can be obtained.

Implementation and analysis of clinically-relevant anatomy imaging for first-year dental students.

Radiographic imaging interpretation is a central competency of the dental profession. Previous research has determined that radiographic interpretations vary across dentists. In addition, the efficacy of empirical learning within the realm of medical imaging analysis remains understudied. This project aimed to improve an existing anatomy curriculum as well as students' radiographic interpretation skills via implementation of medical radiographic case studies with scaffolded exercises. Three medical imaging activities were developed by the authors and presented in the anatomy laboratory for 60 first-year dental students. Each module included identical pre-activity and post-activity questionnaires, radiographic images with corresponding lesson plans, and open-response questions on the activity's valuable and challenging components. Pre-activity and post-activity questionnaire scores were compared via a Wilcoxon signed rank test. Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted to determine the impact of previous anatomy experience and previous medical imaging experience on student performance. Thematic analysis was applied to open response comments. A statistically significant improvement in questionnaire scores was observed in the first medical imaging activity. No significant change in scores was observed for the other two activities. Students valued the activities' interactive structure, review of course material, and application to the dental profession. Students reported challenges in radiographic image interpretation and lack of previous knowledge on course concepts. While medical imaging activities failed to consistently improve student-learning outcomes, they introduced skill development in radiographic analysis and increased student confidence. These findings suggest a need for additional research on experiential methodologies within medical imaging education.

The background and experience of neuroscience teachers in Australian universities: A cross-sectional survey.

Neuroscience is an academic discipline taught within a broad range of university degrees and programs. The expertise and experience of neuroscience teaching staff contribute to the student's learning experience and knowledge acquisition. We undertook a survey to characterize the neuroscience teaching workforce and practices in Australian universities, and to investigate access to and deficiencies in neuroscience teaching resources and training. Two hundred neuroscience teaching staff completed our anonymous online survey. The responses indicated that neuroscience is primarily being delivered by highly qualified (86% with doctoral degrees, 27% with formal qualifications in tertiary teaching), research-active (45% were recently primary supervisors of research students) teaching academics with secure employment (77% in full-time continuing positions). There were more females (61.5%) than males (38.5%) in the sample and most respondents taught neuroscience to students enrolled in a range of degrees/programs. Most survey respondents could access an anatomy laboratory for teaching (87%) but access to specialised online resources, such as augmented reality presentations, customised game-based learning approaches, and/or online brain atlases, was limited. Most survey respondents reported they would benefit from increased access to neuroscience teaching resources and/or peer-tested teaching materials (80%), an informal network of Australian neuroscience teaching peers (64%), and/or training workshops on neuroscience teaching (59%). Approximately half of survey respondents supported the creation of national guidelines for neuroscience teaching curricula. The survey results identify specific gaps in teacher training and resources and inform the development of strategies to support tertiary teachers of neuroscience and student learning.

Effect of diode pumping solid state laser with wavelength 589 nm on gene expression of interlukine-2 and interferon-γ in human T-lymphocytes.

To evaluate the impact of laser irradiation of human T-cell lymphocyte in culture to determine the photobiomodulatory effects of such irradiation on gene expression, and the release of growth factors and cytokines. The experimental study was conducted from November 2021 to April 2022 at the Postgraduate Anatomy Laboratory, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq, and comprised human blood samples T-cell lymphocytes were extracted and irradiated, followed by the extraction of ribonucleic acid to assess the effect of laser on gene expression of cytokines, interlukine-2 and interferon-gamma. A 589nm yellow light low-level laser beam from a diode pumping solid state laser was used at doses 30J/cm2, 50J/cm2 and 70J/cm2 for an exposure time of 15 minutes. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to measure gene expression. Data was analysed using GraphPad Prism 9. Cellular gene expression of the mediators changed significantly in response to laser irradiation at a variety of dosage parameters, and these effects depended on the wavelength and radiation exposure (p<0.05). The laser light may photobiomodulate the production of cytokines by human cells in vitro.

Sternalis featuring tendomuscular fusion to the contralateral sternocleidomastoid: a cadaveric case report.

To report the morphologic and spatial relationships of a bilateral sternalis muscle variant. Routine cadaveric dissection in an undergraduate anatomy laboratory revealed two sternalis muscles parasternal to the sternal body. Subsequent fine prosection of the anterior thoracic wall and neck was carried out to uncover the soft tissue attachments of both sternalis muscles. Positional relationship to neighboring anterior thoracic and neck structures, and geometric dimensions of the muscle bellies and tendons, were documented. Both sternalis muscles were imbedded in the pectoral fascia, with their muscle fibers running obliquely to the midsternal line. The right sternalis muscle was notably larger in length, width, and thickness compared to the sternalis muscle on the left. The right sternalis muscle featured a distinct superior cord-like intermediate tendon that traversed superolateral and fused directly with the contralateral sternomastoid and sterno-occipital portions of the left sternocleidomastoid muscle. The superior tendon of the left sternalis muscle was aponeurotic and affixed to the cord-tendon of the right sternalis muscle. A distinct tendinous entheses for the sternal head for both sternocleidomastoid muscles were noted at the manubrial body. This case report describes a unique bilateral sternalis muscle variant with conjoined sternocleidomastoid muscle integration. This anatomical description of a sternalis-sternocleidomastoid muscle morphology may supplement radiographic interpretations and support diagnostic accuracy.

Double Anterior Interventricular Arteries: Prevalence and Morphological Types-A Dissection Study.

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of double anterior interventricular artery using the dissection method. A retrospective study was conducted between 2010 and 2024 at the Anatomy and Embryology Laboratory of the Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timisoara. Eighty cases were analyzed for morphological variants of the coronary arteries, especially the anterior interventricular artery. Two cases of double anterior interventricular arteries were identified. In the first case, the two anterior interventricular arteries originated from the anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery. In the second case, an additional anterior interventricular artery with an aortic origin was found running along the lower third of the two interventricular grooves. This shape has not been described before in the specialized literature. Knowing the potential variations of the double left anterior descending artery is critical for interpreting cardiac imaging and choosing and planning percutaneous and surgical reperfusion strategies.

The anatomy lab as an early opportunity for reflection‐based interprofessional education

The anatomy lab as an early opportunity for reflection‐based interprofessional education

Partial agenesis of the pectoralis major and minor muscle: A cadaveric case report.

The pectoralis major and minor muscles, located in the anterior chest wall, are crucial for upper limb movements. Their nonsyndromic absence is rare but significant for surgical procedures involving the axillary and pectoral regions. Ultrasound can confirm the diagnosis and delimit the extent of the muscular abnormality, detect abnormalities of the costal cartilages, among others. This descriptive, cadaveric case report involves a formalin-fixed 57-year-old North American male, with no clinical or family history of similar conditions. The study was conducted at the Human Anatomy Laboratory of the School of Medicine of the Universidad Finis Terrae in Santiago, Chile, in August 2022. We present a cadaveric case of bilateral partial agenesis of the pectoralis muscles discovered during routine dissection. The pectoralis major muscle exhibited only the clavicular portion, with the sternocostal and abdominal portions absent and replaced by a thin layer of connective tissue bilaterally. The pectoralis minor muscle showed partial muscle fibers only in the most distal and inferior portions bilaterally. This case report is significant due to the rarity of this condition without accompanying anatomical variations. Understanding this variant is valuable for clinical situations involving the shoulder and thorax region, such as trauma to the proximal third of the humerus, clavicular region, suprascapular region, and anterior chest wall. It may complicate conservative and/or surgical treatments due to different functional and irrigation patterns in the area and is also important for educating future professionals.

Enhancing medical anatomy education with the integration of virtual reality into traditional lab settings.

In medical education, traditional anatomy labs have relied heavily on the hands-on dissection of cadavers to teach the complex spatial relationships within the human body. However, the advent of virtual reality (VR) technology offers the potential for significantly enhancing this traditional approach by providing immersive, interactive 3D visualizations that can overcome some of the limitations of physical specimens. This study explores the integration of VR into a traditional gross anatomy lab to enrich the learning experience for medical students. Methods included the deployment of a VR application developed to complement the dissection process, featuring detailed 3D models of human anatomy that students could manipulate and explore digitally. Approximately 60 s-year medical students participated in the lab, where they engaged with both traditional dissection and the VR application. Results indicated that the VR integration not only increased engagement and satisfaction but also improved the students' ability to understand anatomical structures and their spatial relationships. Moreover, feedback from students suggested more efficient learning and retention than with traditional methods alone. We conclude that VR technology can significantly enhance medical anatomy education by providing an adjunct to traditional dissection, potentially replacing certain aspects of physical specimens with digital simulations that offer repeatable, detailed exploration without the associated logistical and ethical constraints.

Enhancing Imaging Anatomy Competency: Integrating Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Viewers Into the Anatomy Lab Experience.

Radiologic interpretation is a skill necessary for all physicians to provide quality care for their patients. However, some medical students are not exposed to Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) imaging manipulation until their third year during clinical rotations. The objective of this study is to evaluate how medical students exposed to DICOM manipulation perform on identifying anatomical structures compared to students who were not exposed. This was a cross-sectional cohort study with 19 medical student participants organized into a test and control group. The test group consisted of first-year students who had been exposed to a new imaging anatomy curriculum (n = 9). The control group consisted of second-year students who had not had this experience (n = 10). The outcomes measured included quiz performance, self-reported confidence levels, and eye-tracking data. Students in the test group performed better on the quiz compared to students in the control group (p = 0.03). Confidence between the test and control groups was not significantly different (p = 0.16), though a moderate to large effect size difference was noted (Hedges' g = 0.75). Saccade peak velocity and fixation duration between the groups were not significantly different (p = 0.29, p = 0.77), though a moderate effect size improvement was noted in saccade peak velocity for the test group (Hedges' g = 0.49). The results from this study suggest that the early introduction of DICOM imaging into a medical school curriculum does impact students' performance when asked to identify anatomical structures on a standardized quiz.

Typology of Terminal Colon at the Chu of Point G in Bamako

Purpose: To describe the morphometric types of the terminal colon. Patients and Methods: This was an anatomical study by laparotomy for the terminal colon on 7 living subjects and by anatomical dissection on 8 fresh cadaveric subjects in the department of surgery B of the CHU of Point G and in the anatomy laboratory of the faculties of medicine of odonto-stomatology (FMOS) and pharmacy (FAPH) of Bamako from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 or 2 years. Patients without a mass on the terminal recto-colonic junction or volvulus of the terminal colon or abdominopelvic mass on the terminal colon and fresh cadavers declared unknown without a laparotomy scar coming from Bamako University Hospitals or Reference Centers (CS Réf) were included in this study. Results: We investigated 15 cases, including 7 live cases and 8 cadavers. Males accounted for 60% (n=9) and females 40% (n=6), i.e. a sex ratio of 1.5. Mean age was 47.14 ±15.57 years. The mean length of the terminal colon was 41.79 cm±13.37. The mean length of the terminal mesocolon was 11.18 cm. The maximum height of the terminal mesocolon averaged 10.70 cm ± 3.61 cm. There were 46.72% (n=7) medium-form cases, 33.30% (n=5) short-form cases and 19.98% (n=3) long-form cases. Conclusion: The terminal colon can be short, medium or long, depending on its length and the height of its meso.

Dissecting the Impact of Anatomy Lab Policies on Pregnant Medical Students

Dissecting the Impact of Anatomy Lab Policies on Pregnant Medical Students

Unilateral and Bilateral Axillary Arches in Male and Female Cadavers

Among sixteen donors (32 axillae) dissected in our gross anatomy lab, axillary arch was incidentally observed in three cases (five axillae). In three cases, the axillary arch was observed in five axillae-bilateral in one male and one female donor, and unilateral in one male donor. In all the three cases, the five arches consisted of muscular and connective tissue (aponeurotic/tendinous) parts. The muscular parts originated as slips from the lateral borders of the latissimus dorsi muscles and their connective tissue parts ascended and crossed anterior to the axillary neurovascular bundles to attach to various non-osseus structures on the proximal aspects of the arms. This created a canal dorsal to the axillary arch (designated here as axillobrachial canal or ABC) through which the axillary neurovascular bundles ran to enter the proximal aspect of the arms. The presence of such variant fibromuscular slip can be a cause of neurovascular compression syndrome of the upper limb and may complicate surgical procedures in the axillary region. Therefore, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neurovascular compression syndromes of the upper limb and axillary mass to avoid misdiagnosis and unintended damage or injury causing complications.

Changes in high school students attitudes toward health sciences following a hands-on outreach STEM program.

Despite attempts to diversify healthcare workplaces and education, racial and ethnic minorities (REM) remain underrepresented in these fields. This study investigated changes in high school students' health science interest following a single exposure, hands-on anatomy laboratory visit. One hundred and eighty-eight high school students participated in a single day, one-hour visit to a human anatomy laboratory on a university campus. Participants engaged in hands-on activities centered around both human and animal specimens led by university mentors. Using a modified Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics-Career Interest Survey (STEM-CIS) questionnaire, health science STEM interest was calculated before and after the visits and compared using a paired t-test (α = 0.05). A 2 × 2 ANOVA (α = 0.05) was run on pre-to-post-visit interest score differences with factors of Race (White/REM) and Gender (Male/Female) to determine if race/ethnicity and/or gender moderated the gains observed. Overall, health science STEM interest increased significantly from pre- to post-visit (p < 0.001), and these gains were greater in REM students (p < 0.05) but did not differ as a function of gender. These findings indicate that a single visit to an anatomy laboratory with hands-on activities can be used as a tool to engage high school aged students in STEM and may be particularly beneficial for racial/ethnic minority students, potentially influencing health science STEM interest.

Students with prior anatomy experience start out stronger in medical school gross anatomy.

Gross anatomy is a crucial course in medical school; it sets the foundation for future coursework and is highly valued by clinicians. While both medical students and faculty recognize the importance of pre-medical school anatomy experience, few medical schools require it as a prerequisite. Consequently, medical school gross anatomy courses have a diverse range of prior anatomy experience among students. Prior studies have shown mixed results regarding the impact of pre-medical school anatomy experience on medical school gross anatomy performance, often using final exam scores as the metric of analysis. In this study, we investigated the relationship between pre-medical school anatomy experience and medical school gross anatomy performance among students at New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine. We surveyed students from all four matriculated years and analyzed their individual anatomy laboratory exam scores and final anatomy laboratory course scores. We found that students with prior anatomy experience performed significantly better on the first anatomy laboratory exam, leading to an overall positive effect on their final anatomy laboratory score. However, this advantage seemed to diminish in subsequent exams, suggesting that students without prior experience rapidly adjusted to the course challenges. Students with prior anatomy experience felt more prepared for the anatomy course, reported lower stress levels, and believed they had an advantage over peers without prior experience. Our study highlights the importance of pre-medical school anatomy experience, particularly for early performance in the anatomy course.

Effectiveness and satisfaction with virtual and donor dissections: A randomized controlled trial

In recent years, human anatomy education has faced challenges with traditional donor dissection, leading to the emergence of virtual dissection as an alternative. This study aims to investigate the academic performance and satisfaction of medical students by comparing the virtual and donor dissections. An open-labeled crossover randomized controlled trial was conducted with 154 first-year medical students in Human Anatomy and Neuroanatomy laboratories, which were divided into three classes. Students were randomly assigned to either the virtual (virtual dissection followed by donor dissection) or donor (donor dissection followed by virtual dissection) groups in each class. A curriculum, incorporating head-mounted displays (HMDs), a life-sized touchscreen, and tablets, was developed. Data was evaluated through quizzes and surveys. In the Human Anatomy laboratory, each class of the donor group conducted heart extraction, dissection and observation. In observation class, the virtual group had a significantly higher mean quiz score than the donor group (p < 0.05). Compared to the donor, satisfaction was significantly higher for the HMD (understanding of concept and immersion), life-size touchscreen (esthetics, understanding of the concept, and spatial ability), and tablet (esthetics, understanding of the concept, spatial ability, and continuous use intention). In the Neuroanatomy laboratory, the virtual group showed significantly higher mean quiz scores than the donor group (p < 0.05), and tablet showed a significantly higher satisfaction than donor in terms of esthetics, understanding of the concept, and spatial ability. These results suggest that virtual dissection has the potential to supplement or replace donor dissection in anatomy education. This study is innovative in that it successfully delivered scenario-based virtual content and validated the efficacy in academic performance and satisfaction when using virtual devices compared to donor.Trial registration: This research has been registered in the Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?search_lang=E&focus=reset_12&search_page=L&pageSize=10&page=undefined&seq=26002&status=5&seq_group=26002) with registration number "KCT0009075" and registration date "27/12/2023".

Medical students' preferences for asynchronous online or face-to-face learning strategies in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gross anatomy and neuroanatomy are fundamental subjects in medical education. However, learning different anatomical terms and understanding the complexity of the subjects are often challenging for medical students. At National Taiwan University, the 2020-2021 cohort adopted a face-to-face (F2F) learning strategy for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy lecture and laboratory courses until May 17, 2021. After the aforementioned date, the same cohort learned the rest of the gross anatomy and neuroanatomy courses via asynchronous online learning. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of and students' preferences for F2F and asynchronous online learning strategies in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. A survey with closed-ended and open-ended questions was used to quantitatively and qualitatively explore medical students' learning preferences for two teaching strategies in gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. The results identified different learning preferences among students in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy-satisfied with both learning strategies, satisfied with only F2F learning strategy, satisfied with only asynchronous online learning strategy, and satisfied with neither learning strategy. The survey results with closed-ended and open-ended questions showed that medical students preferred F2F learning for anatomical laboratory courses but favored asynchronous online learning for neuroanatomical laboratory courses. In addition, medical students considered peer discussion more critical in learning gross anatomy than neuroanatomy. These findings provide valuable information about medical students' preference for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy courses, which anatomy teachers can consider when planning to enhance their curriculum in the future.

A Comprehensive Training Model for Simulation of Intracranial Aneurysm Surgery Using a Human Placenta and a Cadaveric Head.

Aneurysmal surgery is technically complex, and surgeon experience is an important factor in therapeutic success, but training young vascular neurosurgeons has become a complex paradigm. Despite new technologies and simulation models, cadaveric studies still offer an incomparable training tool with perfect anatomic accuracy, especially in neurosurgery. The use of human placenta for learning and improving microsurgical skills has been previously described. In this article, we present a comprehensive simulation model with both realistic craniotomy exposure and vascular handling consisting of a previously prepared and perfused human placenta encased in a human cadaveric specimen. Humans' placentas from the maternity and cadaveric heads from the body donation program of the anatomy laboratory were used. Placentas were prepared according to the established protocol, and aneurysms were created by catheterization of a placental artery. Ten participants, including senior residents or young attendees, completed an evaluation questionnaire after completing the simulation of conventional unruptured middle artery aneurysm clipping surgery from opening to closure. The skin incision, muscle dissection, and craniotomy were assessed as very similar to reality. Brain tissue emulation and dissection of the lateral fissure were judged to be less realistic. Vascular management was evaluated as similar to reality as closure. Participants uniformly agreed that this method could be implemented as a standard part of their training. This model could provide a good model for unruptured aneurysm clipping training.