title: The value of neurosurgical and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging tractography in clinically integrated neuroanatomy modules: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: Neuroanatomy is considered to be one of the most difficult anatomical subjects for students. To provide motivation and improve learning outcomes in this area, clinical cases and neurosurgical images from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractographies produced using an intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (MRI/DTI) were presented and discussed during integrated second-year neuroanatomy, neuroradiology, and neurosurgery lectures over the 2008-2011 period. Anonymous questionnaires, evaluated according to the Likert scale, demonstrated that students appreciated this teaching procedure. Academic performance (examination grades for neuroanatomy) of the students who attended all integrated lectures of neuroanatomy, was slightly though significantly higher compared to that of students who attended these lectures only occasionally or not at all (P=0.04). Significantly better results were obtained during the national progress test (focusing on morphology) by students who attended the MRI/DTI-assisted lectures, compared to those who did so only in part or not at all, compared to the average student participating in the national test. These results were obtained by students attending the second, third and, in particular, the fourth year (P≤0.0001) courses during the three academic years mentioned earlier. This integrated neuroanatomy model can positively direct students in the direction of their future professional careers without any extra expense to the university. In conclusion, interactive learning tools, such as lectures integrated with intraoperative MRI/DTI images, motivate students to study and enhance their neuroanatomy education.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Familiari
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Relucenti
authors.forename: Rosemarie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heyn
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Familiari
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozzao
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raco
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009445:Neuroanatomy / Q000193:education*; D038361:Neuronavigation / Q000193:education; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: DTI; MRI; anatomical sciences education; diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography; gross anatomy teaching; neuroanatomy education; neuroradiology; neuroscience courses; neurosurgery