University of Colorado Center for Human Simulation
Denver, Colorado 80162
Details of the selection and
processing of the Visible Human
Male have been reported.
Variations on the female will
be presented. Procedures that
were tried but didn't work or
weren't utilized for the final
specimens include frozen CTs,
vessel injection, unpreserved
specimens and vertical
positioning. Specimen
selection, preparation, timing,
cutting and photographic
resolution are all important
parameters and will be
discussed in relation to how
they influenced the Visible
Human Project and how they may
influence future specimens.
The simplest utilization of the
image data from the Visible
Human includes presentation of
the original transverse cross-sectional images and coronal,
sagittal and oblique planes
reformatted from the transverse
images. Curved surfaces also
have utility in visualization
of the body (e.g., through the
center of the spine). Persons
already knowledgeable in
anatomical detail (anatomists,
radiologists, etc.) constitute
the small audience of users
that can use the data in this
form. Our utilization of the
cross sectional images in the
medical gross anatomy course at
the University of Colorado will
be presented. The next level
of sophistication in the
utilization of the images is
the cataloguing or indexing of
the images associated with
identifiable, anatomical
entities visible in the
DataSet. This enhances the
value of the images on the
Internet and on "The Complete
Visible Human Male and Female"
laserdiscs. A further
refinement in dealing with
these cross-sectional images is
the association of labels with
the anatomy indexed in the
previous step as demonstrated
in the labeled "Visible Human"
CD. The final level of
anatomical utility in the cross
sections is realized when the
boundaries of each of the
previously defined anatomical
objects is determined
(segmentation) such that these
boundaries can be displayed in
a learner based environment.
This feature will be
demonstrated in selected areas
of the body. Once segmentation
is complete, each anatomical
object can be rendered in three
dimensions, in isolation or in
combination with neighboring or
related structures. It is this
3D presentation of in situ
anatomy that will provide the
major advance in anatomical
understanding. Of course, the
job isn't over at this point,
its really only just begun.
This well defined, static 3D
database of human anatomy can
now be given properties and
functions so that interactions
between the virtual and real
worlds can begin. This will
extent the world of well
defined anatomy to a
hypothetical world of
demonstrated physiology,
pathology and pathophysiology.
In order to put these programs
in the hands of our students a
computer based gross anatomy
teaching laboratory has
recently been built adjacent to
the cadaver dissection
laboratories at the University
of Colorado Health Sciences
Center. Cadaver dissection has
been, and is currently used to
teach medical, dental, physical
therapy, child allied health
and dental hygiene students.
These students will now have
computer facilities available
to supplement their
dissections. The computer
laboratory features the Visible
Human but also has other gross
anatomy visualization software
programs available for student
use. The lab consists of 16
Macintosh 8500s with 17"
monitors, 48M, CD, 1G and
100BaseTX. The Macintosh
computers are served from a
Macintosh Server 700 with 48M,
10G and 100BaseTX operating
under AIX. A Silicon Graphics
Maximum Impact, R10000 with
256M, 4M texture memory and
FDDI is available in the lab
for demonstrations.
Applications still in the research phase include needle insertion simulation and open surgical cutting, both utilizing a haptic feedback device for user interface. The planned usage for these devices, when they are fully developed, is in the University of Colorado National Center for Human Simulation at the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, a 500 bed hospital facility in Aurora, Colorado. Here, these simulations, as well as simulations developed at other sites, can be utilized for training and testing in this hospital environment. The "real" OR will psychologically reinforce the "realism" in the VR experience with or "virtual" patient. "Real" endoscopes, fluoroscopes and anesthesiology monitors will present an effect analogous to the "real" instruments used in the cockpits of modern day flight simulators. The implementation plans to this program will be outlined.