Herbert K. Matthies

Introduction of e-learning in dental radiology reveals significantly improved results in final examination.

PURPOSE Because a traditionally instructed dental radiology lecture course is very time-consuming and labour-intensive, online courseware, including an interactive-learning module, was implemented to support the lectures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of students who have worked with web-based courseware as well as the effect on their results in final examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS Users (n(3+4)=138) had access to the e-program from any networked computer at any time. Two groups (n(3)=71, n(4)=67) had to pass a final exam after using the e-course. Results were compared with two groups (n(1)=42, n(2)=48) who had studied the same content by attending traditional lectures. In addition a survey of the students was statistically evaluated. RESULTS Most of the respondents reported a positive attitude towards e-learning and would have appreciated more access to computer-assisted instruction. Two years after initiating the e-course the failure rate in the final examination dropped significantly, from 40% to less than 2%. CONCLUSIONS The very positive response to the e-program and improved test scores demonstrated the effectiveness of our e-course as a learning aid. Interactive modules in step with clinical practice provided learning that is not achieved by traditional teaching methods alone. To what extent staff savings are possible is part of a further study.

eLearning in education and advanced training in neuroradiology: introduction of a web-based teaching and learning application.

IntroductionNew information technologies offer the possibility of major improvements in the professional education and advanced training of physicians. The web-based, multimedia teaching and learning application Schoolbook has been created and utilized for neuroradiology.MethodsSchoolbook is technically based as a content management system and is realized in a LAMP environment. The content is generated with the help of the developed system and stored in a database. The layout is defined by a PHP application, and the webpages are generated from the system.ResultsSchoolbook is realized as an authoring tool so that it can be integrated into daily practice. This enables the teacher to autonomously process the content into the web-based application which is used for lectures, seminars and self-study. A multimedia case library is the central building block of Schoolbook for neuroradiology, whereby the learner is provided with original diagnostic and therapeutic data from numerous individual cases. The user can put individual emphasis on key learning points as there are various ways to work with the case histories. Besides the case-based way of teaching and learning, a systematically structured way of dealing with the content is available.ConclusioneLearning offers various opportunities for teaching and learning in academic and scientific as well as in economic contexts. Web-based applications such as Schoolbook may be beneficial not only for basic university education but also for the realization of international educational programmes such as the European Master of Medical Science with a major in neuroradiology.

Registration and fusion of CT and MRI of the temporal bone.

Objective: To present and evaluate a registration method to fuse complementary information of CT and MRI of the temporal bone. Methods: CT and MRI of the temporal bone of 26 patients were independently registered 4 times. A manual, iterative, intrinsic, rigid, and retrospective registration method was used. Mean CREm (consistency registration error) was calculated as a reproducibility measurement. Results: CREm was 0.6 mm (95% CI = 0.52-0.68 mm). T-test revealed no difference between pathologic and normal cases (t[102] = −1.71; P = 0.09). Time needed: 13 minutes. In the registered and fused datasets, important bony surgical landmarks (eg, facial nerve canal, inner ear) could be assessed in 3 dimensions relatively to tumor tissue (eg, acoustic schwannoma). Fluid distribution within partially obliterated cochleae could be assigned to either scalae. Conclusion: An accurate, reproducible registration and fusion method that improves tumor surgery and cochlea implantation planning with only minor changes to the clinical workflow was presented and described. We suggest this method in selected cases.

[A web-based e-learning tool in academic teaching of trauma surgery. First experiences and evaluation results].

ZusammenfassungDas Internet bietet in der universitären Lehre viele Möglichkeiten, Lehrinhalte für die Studierenden zur Verfügung zu stellen. Neben dem Angebot, Vorlesungsfolien oder Skripte als pdf-Dateien über das Internet abzurufen, werden zunehmend ganze Vorlesungen als Video aufgezeichnet und ins Web gestellt. Als Alternative zu diesen beiden Ansätzen wurden von der Klinik Unfallchirurgie und dem Institut für Medizinische Informatik der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover (MHH) die Vorlesungsmaterialien in ein multimediales Webangebot umgesetzt, das sowohl als Präsentationsgrundlage für die Vorlesung als auch als Lernangebot für zuhause dienen sollte. Umgesetzt wurde das E-Learning-Angebot zur Unfallchirurgie mit dem „Content-Management-System- (CMS-)Schoolbook“, das vom Institut für Medizinische Informatik entwickelt wurde.Das „Schoolbook“ Unfallchirurgie wurde in allen 3 Tertialen des Studienjahres 2005/2006 in der MHH eingesetzt und evaluiert. Die Evaluationsergebnisse zeigen, dass dieses Angebot von den Studierenden befürwortet und intensiv genutzt wird. Die Studierenden begrüßen die Möglichkeit, die Vorlesungsinhalte vor- und nachbereiten zu können. Auch auf die Organisation der Vorlesung hat sich die Verwendung einer zentralen Materialsammlung positiv ausgewirkt. Die Nutzung des webbasierten „Schoolbook“ in der Vorlesung bedeutet zwar eine gewisse Umstellung für die Dozenten, aber insgesamt wurde auch von Seiten der Dozenten das Angebot positiv angenommen. Es zeigte sich, dass Webtechnologien auch für Vorlesungen sinnvoll genutzt werden können.AbstractThere are lots of possibilities for universities to offer contents of teaching to students by the Internet. Often the students can download slides or a special lecture note from the intranet of the university. Another way is to make a movie of the lecture and post this lecture movie on the Internet. In the Hanover Medical School we employed an alternative. It was developed by the Trauma Surgery Clinic and the Institute of Medical Informatics at the Hanover Medical School. Our goal was to use just one web-based content resource for the lecture and for the work at home. The Institute of Medical Informatics used a web-based content management system (CMS) Schoolbook to implement this e-learning application.Since October 2005 the Trauma Surgery Schoolbook has been used in the lecture on trauma surgery in all terms, and we evaluated the academic year 2005/2006. The results of the evaluation showed us that the students were very interested in using this e-learning application. The possibility to reinforce the learning material at home is a good chance for the students. Also the organisation of lectures was improved because the materials were all in one place. The lecturer needs to learn several new tasks, but we also got a positive response. Our experiences of the last academic year showed that it was a good way to use one web-based content resource for teaching and learning in the context of a lecture.

Medical Students Experience the Mobile Augmented Reality Blended Learning Environment (Marble®): An Attractive Concept for the Net Generation?

The utilization of e-learning content to support and improve teaching and learning has been a part of medical education for years. Nowadays, mobile learning concepts are likely to foster student engagement in learning activities and are offering opportunities to make the educational process integral to daily life. The increasing use of mobile devices, which are widespread among students, creates a demand for attractive mobile learning applications. In response, mARble®, an augmented reality powered learning environment for mobile phones, was developed. Augmented reality has the potential to enhance the learning situation significantly. It can also add a new level of experience for the students, making them a part of the learning object. mARble® is targeted for use in a forensic medicine course. Medical students will be equipped with smart phones containing the application to interactively practice the detection of simulated markers triggering wound patterns on their own skin in real time. To enhance the educational effect, the tool contains questions and tasks regarding the presented wound patterns. Hints and advice are presented using audio content as well as text and pictures. The main goal of the described project is to elicit synergy learning effects due to the interaction within student groups in a role-playing setting. Introducing modern mobile learning and innovative visualization techniques to a traditional learning setting has the potential for a demanding, fascinating, and interactive learning environment.

Webbasiertes E-Learning-Tool in der unfallchirurgischen Lehre

ZusammenfassungDas Internet bietet in der universitären Lehre viele Möglichkeiten, Lehrinhalte für die Studierenden zur Verfügung zu stellen. Neben dem Angebot, Vorlesungsfolien oder Skripte als pdf-Dateien über das Internet abzurufen, werden zunehmend ganze Vorlesungen als Video aufgezeichnet und ins Web gestellt. Als Alternative zu diesen beiden Ansätzen wurden von der Klinik Unfallchirurgie und dem Institut für Medizinische Informatik der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover (MHH) die Vorlesungsmaterialien in ein multimediales Webangebot umgesetzt, das sowohl als Präsentationsgrundlage für die Vorlesung als auch als Lernangebot für zuhause dienen sollte. Umgesetzt wurde das E-Learning-Angebot zur Unfallchirurgie mit dem „Content-Management-System- (CMS-)Schoolbook“, das vom Institut für Medizinische Informatik entwickelt wurde.Das „Schoolbook“ Unfallchirurgie wurde in allen 3 Tertialen des Studienjahres 2005/2006 in der MHH eingesetzt und evaluiert. Die Evaluationsergebnisse zeigen, dass dieses Angebot von den Studierenden befürwortet und intensiv genutzt wird. Die Studierenden begrüßen die Möglichkeit, die Vorlesungsinhalte vor- und nachbereiten zu können. Auch auf die Organisation der Vorlesung hat sich die Verwendung einer zentralen Materialsammlung positiv ausgewirkt. Die Nutzung des webbasierten „Schoolbook“ in der Vorlesung bedeutet zwar eine gewisse Umstellung für die Dozenten, aber insgesamt wurde auch von Seiten der Dozenten das Angebot positiv angenommen. Es zeigte sich, dass Webtechnologien auch für Vorlesungen sinnvoll genutzt werden können.AbstractThere are lots of possibilities for universities to offer contents of teaching to students by the Internet. Often the students can download slides or a special lecture note from the intranet of the university. Another way is to make a movie of the lecture and post this lecture movie on the Internet. In the Hanover Medical School we employed an alternative. It was developed by the Trauma Surgery Clinic and the Institute of Medical Informatics at the Hanover Medical School. Our goal was to use just one web-based content resource for the lecture and for the work at home. The Institute of Medical Informatics used a web-based content management system (CMS) Schoolbook to implement this e-learning application.Since October 2005 the Trauma Surgery Schoolbook has been used in the lecture on trauma surgery in all terms, and we evaluated the academic year 2005/2006. The results of the evaluation showed us that the students were very interested in using this e-learning application. The possibility to reinforce the learning material at home is a good chance for the students. Also the organisation of lectures was improved because the materials were all in one place. The lecturer needs to learn several new tasks, but we also got a positive response. Our experiences of the last academic year showed that it was a good way to use one web-based content resource for teaching and learning in the context of a lecture.

Development of an intuitive graphical user interface for volume rendering of multidetector CT data

Abstract With modern CT scanners, radiologists are facing an ever increasing number of images not possible to review on a slice by slice basis. During the past years, volume rendering has developed to an interesting alternative for reading large medical data volumes. Due to the increasing computer power and the development of dedicated acceleration hardware, it can now be realized as a real-time system with standard personal computers at reasonable costs. However, the specification of transfer functions needed to visualize features of interest is still a difficult task [W. Schroeder, C. Bajaj, G. Kindlmann, H. Pfister, 2000. The Transfer Function Bake-Off. IEEE Visualization Conference]. A fast and simple technique for setting transfer functions is crucial for clinical routine work. We present a novel, interactive graphical user interface to deal with this problem.

Using Gigapixel Technology for a Cell Biology E-Learning Module

Using gigapixel images in a web-based e-learning environment provides advantages in different learning settings in medical education when image-guided topics are concerned. In addition to conventional teaching at the microscope, with digital microscopic specimens students can learn independently of time and place. Moreover, within the e-learning environment, images can be supplemented with additional learning material. Our approach was to integrate a gigapixel viewer into a content management system, the “Medical Schoolbook”, used at Hannover Medical School for a number of different subjects e.g. cell biology. In the Medical Schoolbook gigapixel images are automatically converted in a particular format and displayed in a viewer.

Automatische Anpassung von vordefinierten Bildergalerien an individuelle Datensätze beim direkten Volume Rendering von CT-Daten

Beim direkten Volume Rendering wird die Qualitat der Visualisierung im wesentlichen von der gewahlten Transferfunktion bestimmt. Ihre Einstellung ist bis dato zeitaufwandig und erfordert technisches Hintergrundwissen. Ublicherweise bekommt der klinische Anwender daher eine Auswahl von vordefinierten Funktionen geliefert. Wir beschreiben eine Anwendung, die diese Funktionen abhangig vom aktuell darzustellenden Datensatz modifiziert um die Darstellung mit minimalem Benutzereingriff zu optimieren.

3D-Nachverarbeitung in der CT-Bildgebung des Felsenbeins

3D-Nachverarbeitungstechniken der CT des Felsenbeins ermoglichen eine strukturierte raumliche Darstellung und Dokumentation der komplexen Felsenbein-Anatomie und Pathologie. Datensatze von 176 Patienten wurden unter klinischen Bedingungen mit einer Mehrschicht-CT bei Verwendung eines dosisreduzierten Protokolls akquiriert. Verschiedene Nachverarbeitungstechniken wurden unter klinischen und experimentellen Bedingungen untersucht. Um die Auswirkungen groser Datensatze auf die 3D-Nachverarbeitung zu untersuchen, wurden Daten mit einem hochauflosenden Volumen-CT akquiriert und nachverarbeitet. Die 3D-Nachverarbeitung erleichterte die klinische Diagnostik und praoperative Planung in Fallen von komplexen Felsenbeinpathologien. Gegenwartig wird die Anwendung der 3D-Nachverarbeitung durch den erhohten Zeitaufwand und die relativ hohen Kosten in der klinischen Verwendung limitiert.