Introduction:In the meantime, new methods from the digital field are finding their way into anatomy training for medical students. We have now taken a significant innovative step in this regard by showing the three-dimensional anatomy of living human beings using CT and MR data sets in a high-end projection room, the socalled dissection theatre of the future, using a projection surface of 16x9 meters.
Methods:For this dissection theatre of the future, a separate course "virtual anatomy and pathoanatomy" has been integrated into the existing anatomy curriculum of the Johannes Kepler University in Linz. This course is anchored horizontally and vertically in the 3rd and 4th semesters of medical training. With a recently developed 3D post-processing method, called cinematic rendering, the students experience the anatomy of living human beings very photorealistically in 3D using active 3D shutter glasses.Results: After a pilot phase, the required image data could be imported into the system without any problems. All courses in the winter semester 2019/2020 were held without any problems. There were no technical failures. The permanent change between 3D and 2D presentations during the courses was also possible without any problems. Here, too, there were no technical failures. In the pilot phase and at the end of the first real teaching operation in the winter semester 2019/2020, the course was evaluated by the students. In both cases there were only very good to excellent ratings by the students.
Conclusion:With the creation of a regular course "virtual anatomy and pathoanatomy" in the "Dissection Theatre of the Future", a significant step has been taken in the further development of anatomy teaching for medical students.