Introduction Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging has broadened opportunities for examining morphologic aspects of the craniofacial complex, including alveolar bone, but limitations of the ...technology have yet to be defined. Through the use of comparisons with direct measurements, the purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy and reliability of buccal alveolar bone height and thickness measurements derived from CBCT images. Methods Twelve embalmed cadaver heads (5 female, 7 male; mean age: 77 years) were scanned with an i-CAT 17-19 unit (Imaging Sciences International, Hatfield, Pa) at 0.3 mm voxel size. Buccal alveolar bone height and thickness measurements of 65 teeth were made in standardized radiographic slices and compared with direct measurements made by dissection. All measurements were repeated 3 times by 2 independent raters and examined for intrarater and interrater reliability. Measurement means were compared with 2-tailed t tests. Agreement between direct and CBCT measurements was assessed by concordance correlation coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Bland-Altman plots. Results Intrarater reliability was high as were interrater correlations for all measurements (≥0.97) except CBCT buccal bone thickness (0.90). CBCT measurements did not differ significantly from direct measurements, and there was no pattern of underestimation or overestimation. The mean absolute differences were 0.30 mm in buccal bone height and 0.13 mm in buccal bone thickness with 95% limits of agreement of −0.77 to 0.81 mm, and −0.32 to 0.38 mm, respectively. Agreement between the 2 methods was higher for the measurements of buccal bone height than buccal bone thickness, as demonstrated by concordance correlation coefficients of 0.98 and 0.86, respectively. Conclusions For the protocol used in this study, CBCT can be used to quantitatively assess buccal bone height and buccal bone thickness with high precision and accuracy. Comparing the 2 sets of CBCT measurements, buccal bone height had greater reliability and agreement with direct measurements than did the buccal bone thickness measurements.
Purpose
In teaching anatomy, clinical imaging has been utilized to supplement the traditional dissection laboratory promoting education through visualization of spatial relationships of anatomical ...structures. Viewing the thyroid gland using 3D/4D ultrasound can be valuable to physicians as well as students learning anatomy. The objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions of first-year medical students regarding the integration of 3D/4D ultrasound visualization of spatial anatomy during anatomical education.
Methods
108 first-year medical students were introduced to 3D/4D ultrasound imaging of the thyroid gland through a detailed 20-min tutorial taught in small group format. Students then practiced 3D/4D ultrasound imaging on volunteers and donor cadavers before assessment through acquisition and identification of thyroid gland on at least three instructor-verified images. A post-training survey was administered assessing student impression.
Results
All students visualized the thyroid gland using 3D/4D ultrasound. Students revealed 88.0% strongly agreed or agreed 3D/4D ultrasound is useful revealing the thyroid gland and surrounding structures and 87.0% rated the experience “Very Easy” or “Easy”, demonstrating benefits and ease of use including 3D/4D ultrasound in anatomy courses. When asked, students felt 3D/4D ultrasound is useful in teaching the structure and surrounding anatomy of the thyroid gland, they overwhelmingly responded “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” (90.2%).
Conclusion
This study revealed that 3D/4D ultrasound was successfully used and preferred over 2D ultrasound by medical students during anatomy dissection courses to accurately identify the thyroid gland. In addition, 3D/4D ultrasound may nurture and further reinforce stereostructural spatial relationships of the thyroid gland taught during anatomy dissection.
Background
Addition of interactive imaging modalities such as ultrasound within the teaching of anatomy may help facilitate student learning. Appreciating the stereostructural relationships (the ...particular spatial configurations) of the human body in 3D enables one to navigate cross sectional imaging anatomy. 3D/4D ultrasound imaging has been used successfully in the clinical arena, though the use within anatomical education in preclinical years of medical school has not been reported. This study aimed to gauge student perceptions on the value of supplementing a medical anatomy course with hands-on 3D/4D ultrasound imaging.
Methods
First year medical students currently enrolled in medical anatomy had dissection laboratory sessions supplemented with 3D/4D ultrasound training to help assimilate their anatomical knowledge with clinical imaging. Prior to the training and after, students completed surveys utilizing Likert scale and write-in responses to gauge their experience with 3D/4D ultrasound imaging. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s
t
test.
Results
After training with 3D/4D ultrasound, students reported feeling comfortable performing and teaching 3D ultrasound imaging (4.06/5 and 3.9/5 respectively, with 5 translating to strongly agree). Additionally, students reported 3D/4D ultrasound allowed for better understanding of the relationship between structures within the human body (4.24/5), 3D/4D ultrasound is a useful instrument in learning anatomy (4.49/5), and that they would like to have further training with 3D/4D ultrasound in future courses (4.64/5).
Conclusion
Students demonstrated proficiency in identifying organs and surrounding structures using 3D/4D ultrasonography and agreed that inclusion of 3D/4D ultrasonography within the anatomy course helped facilitate their learning of anatomy. This pilot study revealed student perception that 3D/4D ultrasound integration into the anatomy laboratory allows for an improved understanding of the relationship of structures within the human body.
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