Using Three‐Dimensional Cranial Scans to Teach Anatomical Variation

Abstract

Learning anatomical variations of the cranium poses unique difficulties particularly with regard to having physical access to crania with variations, adequate time to appreciate specimens, and an inherent lack of depth perception afforded from textbook images. This report documents the development of a repository of three‐dimensional (3D) scans of crania possessing both common and rare anatomical variations. Examples of such anatomical variations include metopism, plagiocephaly, elongate styloid processes, confluence of the foramen ovale and spinosum, elongate nasal bones, osteoma, clival foramina, mastoidal emissary foramina, and caroticoclinoid foramina. The utility of 3D scans overcomes many barriers to learning cranial variation. For example, by having a digitized model of a cranium, a student can interact with the model in three dimensions outside of a laboratory. It allows for time flexibility as well. Additionally, there are benefits beyond the primary goal of educating the student, which include eliminating concern for damage to crania from mishandling and concerns of theft.Support or Funding InformationWV Research Challenge Fund [HEPC.dsr.17.06] and [HEPC.dsr.14.13]This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.