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Teaching medical anatomy: what is the role of imaging today?

  • Teaching Anatomy
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Abstract

Purpose

Medical anatomy instruction has been an important issue of debate for many years and imaging anatomy has become an increasingly important component in the field, the role of which has not yet been clearly defined. The aim of the paper was to assess the current deployment of medical imaging in the teaching of anatomy by means of a review of the literature.

Materials

A systematic search was performed using the electronic database PubMed, ScienceDirect and various publisher databases, with combinations of the relevant MeSH terms. A manual research was added.

Results

In most academic curricula, imaging anatomy has been integrated as a part of anatomical education, taught using a very wide variety of strategies. Considerable variation in the time allocation, content and delivery of medical imaging in teaching human anatomy was identified. Given this considerable variation, an objective assessment remains quite difficult.

Discussion

In most publications, students’ perceptions regarding anatomical courses including imaging anatomy were investigated by means of questionnaires and, regardless of the method of teaching, it was globally concluded that imaging anatomy enhanced the quality and efficiency of instruction in human anatomy. More objective evaluation based on an increase in students’ performance on course examinations or on specific tests performed before and after teaching sessions showed positive results in numerous cases, while mixed results were also indicated by other studies.

Conclusion

A relative standardization could be useful in improving the teaching of imaging anatomy, to facilitate its assessment and reinforce its effectiveness.

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Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

IA:

Imaging anatomy

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

US:

Ultrasonography

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département d’Anatomie Faculté de Médecine Université de Lorraine, Service Imagerie Guilloz, CHU Nancy, 29 av de Lattre de Tassigny, 54035, Nancy Cedex, France

    Bruno Grignon

  2. Service de Radiologie, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy, France

    Guillaume Oldrini

  3. Service Imagerie Guilloz, CHU Nancy, Nancy Cedex, France

    Frédéric Walter

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  1. Bruno Grignon
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Grignon, B., Oldrini, G. & Walter, F. Teaching medical anatomy: what is the role of imaging today?. Surg Radiol Anat 38, 253–260 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1548-y

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