CROSS-SECTIONAL IMAGING OF A CADAVERIC HUMAN HEART

The precise relationship of the components of the heart can be difficu lt to understand. With recent developments in cardiac ultrasound and o ther imaging modalities, most professionals need to be familiar with c ross-sectional cardiac anatomy. We have created a teaching technique b ased on a normal human heart removed at autopsy. It was scanned using a computed tomography scanner and the images examined in different pla nes. The images were annotated and used in a computer-based teaching p rogram to convey the details of cardiac anatomy. Images corresponding to planes typically used in echocardiography were also examined. The r esulting images were of high resolution and illustrated many subtle st ructures rarely seen in conventional studies of cardiac anatomy. This system has benefits to both clinicians and anatomists. (C) 1998 Wiley- Liss, Inc.