title: Integration of interactive three-dimensional image post-processing software into undergraduate radiology education effectively improves diagnostic skills and visual-spatial ability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Integrating interactive three-dimensional post-processing software into undergraduate radiology teaching might be a promising approach to synergistically improve both visual-spatial ability and radiological skills, thereby reducing students' deficiencies in image interpretation. The purpose of this study was to test our hypothesis that a hands-on radiology course for medical students using interactive three-dimensional image post-processing software improves radiological knowledge, diagnostic skills and visual-spatial ability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hands-on radiology course was developed using interactive three-dimensional image post-processing software. The course consisted of seven seminars held on a weekly basis. The 25 participating fourth- and fifth-year medical students learnt to systematically analyse cross-sectional imaging data and correlated the two-dimensional images with three-dimensional reconstructions. They were instructed by experienced radiologists and collegiate tutors. The improvement in radiological knowledge, diagnostic skills and visual-spatial ability was assessed immediately before and after the course by multiple-choice tests comprising 64 questions each. Wilcoxon signed rank test for paired samples was applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of correctly answered questions improved from 36.9±4.8 to 49.5±5.4 (p<0.001) which corresponded to a mean improvement of 12.6 (95% confidence interval 9.9-15.3) or 19.8%. Radiological knowledge improved by 36.0% (p<0.001), diagnostic skills for cross-sectional imaging by 38.7% (p<0.001), diagnostic skills for other imaging modalities - which were not included in the course - by 14.0% (p=0.001), and visual-spatial ability by 11.3% (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The integration of interactive three-dimensional image post-processing software into undergraduate radiology education effectively improves radiological reasoning, diagnostic skills and visual-spatial ability, and thereby even diagnostic skills for imaging modalities not included in the course.
authors: University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. fabian.rengier@web.de
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Rengier
authors: Matthias F
authors: MF
authors: Häfner
authors: Roland
authors: R
authors: Unterhinninghofen
authors: Ralph
authors: R
authors: Nawrotzki
authors: Joachim
authors: J
authors: Kirsch
authors: Hans-Ulrich
authors: HU
authors: Kauczor
authors: Frederik L
authors: FL
authors: Giesel
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D012984:Software; D013028:Space Perception; D018511:Systems Integration