The digital anatomist information system and its use in the generation and delivery of Web-based anatomy atlases.

Advances in network and imaging technology, coupled with the availability of 3-D datasets such as the Visible Human, provide a unique opportunity for developing information systems in anatomy that can deliver relevant knowledge directly to the clinician, researcher or educator. A software framework is described for developing such a system within a distributed architecture that includes spatial and symbolic anatomy information resources, Web and custom servers, and authoring and end-user client programs. The authoring tools have been used to create 3-D atlases of the brain, knee and thorax that are used both locally and throughout the world.

The cerebral ventricles: a computer-based interactive tutorial.

The computer-based tutorial, "The Cerebral Ventricles," enables the user to review the anatomy, imaging, and common pathologic conditions of the human cerebral ventricular system. The program runs on a workstation that includes a laser videodisk player and a videodisk with 21,000 still images plus motion sequences. By using a mouse to select specific portions of the anatomic diagram depicting the ventricles, the user can review different planes of normal gross anatomy, corresponding computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images of normal anatomy, images of gross specimens of different pathologic entities, and corresponding radiologic images.

Knowledge-based client-server approach to structural information retrieval: the Digital Anatomist Browser.

Structural information can be defined as data and knowledge about biological objects ranging in size from molecules to the whole body. A framework is described for organizing structural information around a well-defined set of terminology and semantic relationships, and for disseminating multimedia structural information by means of a wide-area information server that is accessible over the internet. A Macintosh-based client of this server, called the Digital Anatomist Browser, has been used to teach neuroanatomy for the last 2 years.

Videodisc animation of 3D computer reconstructions of the human brain.

Our group is creating a database of x-, y-, z- coordinates of central nervous system structures from serial cross-sections. We produce 3D computer images of the brain and its components and record them on videodisc. Useful animations include combining objects from different databases to correct anatomical scale, rendering a surface translucent to reveal underlying components, slicing and paging brain slabs with and without protruding individual objects, and dissecting functional pathways.

A multimedia Anatomy Browser incorporating a knowledge base and 3D images.

We describe a multimedia program for teaching anatomy. The program, called the Anatomy Browser, displays cross-sectional and topographical images, with outlines around structures and regions of interest. The user may point to these structures and retrieve text descriptions, view symbolic relationships between structures, or view spatial relationships by accessing 3-D graphics animations from videodiscs produced specifically for this program.