Observation of Patients' 3D Printed Anatomical Features and 3D Visualisation Technologies Improve Spatial Awareness for Surgical Planning and in-Theatre Performance.

Improved spatial awareness is vital in anatomy education as well as in many areas of medical practice. Many healthcare professionals struggle with the extrapolation of 2D data to its locus within the 3D volume of the anatomy. In this chapter, we outline the use of touch as an important sensory modality in the observation of 3D forms, including anatomical parts, with the specific neuroscientific underpinnings in this regard being described. We explore how improved spatial awareness is directly linked to improved spatial skill. The reader is offered two practical exercises that lead to improved spatial awareness for application in exploring external 3D anatomy volume as well as internal 3D anatomy volume. These exercises are derived from the Haptico-visual observation and drawing (HVOD) method. The resulting cognitive improvement in spatial awareness that these exercises engender can be of benefit to students in their study of anatomy and for application by healthcare professionals in many aspects of their medical practice. The use of autostereoscopic visualisation technology (AS3D) to view the anatomy from DICOM data, in combination with the haptic exploration of a 3D print (3Dp) of the same stereoscopic on-screen image, is recommended as a practice for improved understanding of any anatomical part or feature. We describe a surgical innovation that relies on the haptic perception of patients' 3D printed (3Dp) anatomical features from patient DICOM data, for improved surgical planning and in-theatre surgical performance. Throughout the chapter, underlying neuroscientific correlates to haptic and visual observation, memory, working memory, and cognitive load are provided.

Focused Multisensory Anatomy Observation and Drawing for Enhancing Social Learning and Three-Dimensional Spatial Understanding.

The concept that multisensory observation and drawing can be effective for enhancing anatomy learning is supported by pedagogic research and theory, and theories of drawing. A haptico-visual observation and drawing (HVOD) process has been previously introduced to support understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) spatial form of anatomical structures. The HVOD process involves exploration of 3D anatomy with the combined use of touch and sight, and the simultaneous act of making graphite marks on paper which correspond to the anatomy under observation. Findings from a previous study suggest that HVOD can increase perceptual understanding of anatomy through memorization and recall of the 3D form of observed structures. Here, additional pedagogic and cognitive underpinnings are presented to further demonstrate how and why HVOD can be effective for anatomy learning. Delivery of a HVOD workshop is described as a detailed guide for instructors, and themes arising from a phenomenological study of educator experiences of the HVOD process are presented. Findings indicate that HVOD can provide an engaging approach for the spatial exploration of anatomy within a supportive social learning environment, but also requires modification for effective curricular integration. Consequently, based on the most effective research-informed, theoretical, and logistical elements of art-based approaches in anatomy learning, including the framework provided by the observe-reflect-draw-edit-repeat (ORDER) method, an optimized "ORDER Touch" observation and drawing process has been developed. This is with the aim of providing a widely accessible resource for supporting social learning and 3D spatial understanding of anatomy, in addition to improving specific anatomical knowledge.