Stevens Institute of Technology and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P & S) have been working together towards producing a high-resolution 3D representations of adult male and female cadaver, to supplement the existing anatomy curriculum by 3D teaching tools. The Vesalius Project derives its name from Vesalius 15th century anatomy work. It is our goal to bring Vesalius into the 21st Century.
This project intends to deliver a hardware independent, interactive electronic curriculum based on the Visible Human data using the Internet as the delivery mechanism. We demonstrate a visual anatomy lesson of the Bronchial Tree with Lung regions used as reference spatial structures. Evaluation of the educational requirements was conducted with the P & S personnel in the Office of Scholarly Resources and Department of Medical Informatics. An outline was developed identifying three (3) individual phases: Preprocessing requirements to "extract" the data from flat 2D images to a 3D representation; Defining anatomical labeling knowledge-base requirements and links to 3D images, and finally, Designing the software.
3D Bottom View of Bronchial Tree
Welcome to the Vesalius Project of Columbia University Health Sciences.
This electronic textbook of anatomy is part of our effort to make information more accessible to students.
The classic teaching of gross anatomy has become regularized over time, bound by the limitations of working with cadavers and two-dimensional drawings and the difficulties of spatial reconciliation between the two. Over the centuries, students have learned from the drawings of individuals such as Vesalius, Albinus, and Cloquet. Such works are as much art as they are anatomy. Today, with multi-media technology we have an opportunity to bring together many models of learning into one source.
There are two challenges to a project such as the one we envision. One is to use technology as means and not an end. That is, to capture the magnificent images provided by the National Library of Medicine and harness them in the service of teaching and learning. The other challenge is to support the images with a solid scaffolding of knowledge that provides for intellectual navigation as well as the visual.
The team from Columbia University and Stevens Institute of Technology look forward to your comments on the Vesalius Project.
Introduction Screen for Electronic Anatomy Textbook
Title Screen for Electronic Anatomy Textbook
Sample 3D View of Bronchial Tree Anatomy
Lesson
Second Sample 3D Views of Bronchial Tree
Anatomy Lesson
