3D Prints of Cross Sections of a Human Body: A Teaching Resource for the Study of Sectional Anatomy

Abstract

Anatomy courses constitute an essential component of the medical curriculum, providing the morphological basis for the clinical examination, the interpretation of medical images and the safe practice of surgical interventions and procedures. Recently, 3D printing technology has allowed to generate replicas of dissections of body segments on a real scale that are used as teaching resources for the study of human anatomy, thus generating high-likelihood teaching models that serve as an alternative to the use of cadaveric preparations for Anatomical teaching. In this paper we present the results obtained by using our KAN3D kit that includes physical replicas of cross sections of the trunk and extremities and a platform that houses properly labeled digital models, a product financed with the FONDEF IT16I10073 project. The application of these products in teaching indicate that replicas of cross sections of body segments have a high likelihood in terms of shape, color, topography and textures, characteristics that validate them as an excellent teaching resource for teaching and learning the human sectional anatomy. The KAN3D kit makes available to students of health careers a high-likelihood resources, accesible on demand, that allows them to reproduce the experience of the practical activity of Morphology at the time and place where they are willing, exceeding thus the limitations of access to the Anatomy pavilions and quality cadaveric material