Image of the Day: Spinal Tap

A medical art student’s master’s project will be used to help train junior physicians to perform lumbar punctures.

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3D model of a spinal tap

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ABOVE: Renske Hoste designed an interactive, 3-D model of a standard spinal tap to help students better visualize the anatomy and procedure.
UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE, RENSKE HOSTE

An interactive model of the human spine designed by a master’s student caught the eye of the UK’s National Health Service and will soon be incorporated into the core curriculum for up-and-coming physicians across Scotland, according to an announcement from the University of Dundee. Renske Hoste, a medical artist, used reference images from MRI datasets and anatomical atlases to develop the model, conferring with medical professionals along the way. Her goal was to provide an improved training tool for junior doctors learning to perform lumbar punctures, a common procedure where a needle must be inserted between the vertebrae of the lower spine.

“Previously, students prepared to master this procedure using text and 2D illustrations prior to starting a simulation-based task trainer phase,” explains Hoste ...

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