RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This project aims to establish an interactive oral and maxillofacial radiological image annotation database and to analyze its feasibility for implementation into curricula in order to develop a highly effective software for image browsing.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We established the interactive image annotation database primarily on the basis of the local network and Foxit Reader. A pilot survey was then conducted to determine the performance of the interactive database. Seventy-six students were asked to complete a structured and open questionnaire related to their perceptions of using the database. Simple numeric quantitative and qualitative analyses were then applied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 542 portable document format (PDF) digital teaching images and corresponding annotated files were collected. The survey revealed that most of the students found the database useful. Approximately 87.50% of the 64 subjects who compelete questionnaire believed that the database was superior to an older system (joint photographic experts group, JPEG) of image browsing.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The integration and sharing of teaching resources and the establishment of an internet-based learning platform is the key to realizing a digital medical teaching system. The established database has high potential in a wide range of practical applications.</p>
