title: Computer-based anatomy a prerequisite for computer-assisted radiology and surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to show the possibilities opened up by three-dimensional (3D) computer-based models of the human body for education in anatomy, training of radiological and endoscopic examinations, and simulation of surgical procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on 3D data sets obtained from the Visible Human and/or clinical cases, virtual body models are created that provide an integrated spatial and symbolic description of the anatomy by using interactive color/intensity-based segmentation, ray casting visualization with subvoxel resolution, a semantic network for knowledge modeling, and augmented QuickTime VR (Apple Computer, Inc, Cupertino, CA) movies for presentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From these models, various radiological, endoscopic, or haptic manifestations of the body can be derived. This is shown with examples from anatomy teaching, correlation of x-ray images with 3D anatomy for education in radiology, gastrointestinal endoscopy, correlation of ultrasound images with 3D anatomy in endoscopic ultrasonography, and simulation of drilling in temporal bone surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented models provide a means for realistic training in interpretation of radiological and endoscopic images of the human body. Furthermore, certain surgical procedures may be simulated realistically. Used as a complement to the current curriculum, these models have the potential to greatly decrease education times and costs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Informatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. pommert@uke-uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pommert
authors.forename: Karl Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Höhne
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burmester
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gehrmann
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leuwer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petersik
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pflesser
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tiede
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D014584:User-Computer Interface