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.

Combining fiber dissection, plastination, and tractography for neuroanatomical education: Revealing the cerebellar nuclei and their white matter connections

“…Furthermore, tractography can be used to show the interindividual anatomical variability of a tract in a group of subjects, which can be difficult with prosections (Heiervang et al, ; Clatworthy et al, ). The value of the use of tractography images in medical education has already been demonstrated by Familiari et al () who showed that an integrated neuroanatomy model consisting of clinical cases and neurosurgical images from DTI tractography can significantly improve academic performance of medical students.…”

“…Hence, understanding the white matter anatomy of the brain is essential for medical students and researchers in the field of neuroscience (Familiari et al, ). Moreover, it can be consequential for medical specialists, as knowledge of brain connectivity will assist in the interpretation and critical appraisal of clinical and radiological information (Filley, ).…”

The integration of brain dissection within the medical neuroscience laboratory enhances learning

“…Some articles have highlighted this concern by illustrating the need for more neurology educational research (Stern et al, 2007). In response to the awareness of neurophobia, other researchers have either assessed changes to the curriculum (like adding additional teaching modules or reviews) to increase student's satisfaction and performance in neuroanatomy (Ridsdale et al, 2007;Billings-Gagliardi and Mazor, 2009;Familiari et al, 2013) or investigated the effectiveness of newly designed neuroanatomy teaching tools (Gould et al, 2008;Estevez et al, 2010;Adams and Wilson, 2011;Chariker et al, 2012;Familiari et al, 2013;Pani et al, 2013;Kooloos et al, 2014;Drapkin et al, 2015). To date, no studies have addressed whether dissection activities are effective methods of teaching neuroanatomy within the neurology education curriculum, and few have addressed whether long-term retention of neuroanatomy can be promoted by a particular learning method.…”

Development and assessment of a new 3D neuroanatomy teaching tool for MRI training

“…Moreover, students enter medical school with a variety of different intrinsic capabilities or former training in visuospatial reasoning skills. As a response, new computerized anatomy and neuroanatomy teaching tools have been developed in recent years to address these challenges (Brinkley et al, ; Gould et al, ; Nowinski et al, ; Adams and Wilson, ; Keedy et al, ; Familiari et al, ; Pani et al, ).…”