Delving into the human body

Students at the University of Dayton are now able to delve into the human body and uncover the workings of blood vessels, nerves and more thanks to a new 3D virtual anatomy visualization and virtual dissection system, the Anatomage Table. It is another opportunity for undergraduates to learn in ways often only available to graduate students.

The table, the size of a human body, can be positioned prone or upright for teaching. University students will be able to examine, study and dissect 3D structures as if they were in a lab with a real cadaver. Coursework will allow students to understand both the structures and functions of living bodies. The table also includes CT and MRI software.

The Anatomage Table complements the cadaver lab, where undergraduates studying health sciences now take courses. The Anatomage Table is an important addition to the department during COVID-19; the department plans to use the technology to support students learning remotely to continue a high-quality, cadaver-based laboratory educational experience, said Kim Ritterhoff, human anatomy and human dissection lecturer in the School of Education and Health Sciences.

“Having the combination of both the cadaver lab and the Anatomage Table makes our program distinctive in the state of Ohio,” Ritterhoff said.

Ritterhoff is the primary instructor who will be utilizing the Anatomage Table.

“A lot of graduate clinical programs are adopting similar technology, so our students will have the experience of using this technology before starting advanced coursework,” Ritterhoff said. “It should give them more experience and allow them to be ready for their next level.”

The Anatomage Table was made possible thanks to a gift from David and Norma McCarthy, 1971 graduates of the University of Dayton who have funded the Dave and Norma McCarthy Integrative Human Physiology Lab in the Department of Health and Sport Science.

“We are incredibly grateful for the continued transformational donor support of the McCarthy family to our department,” said Anne Crecelius ’07, associate professor of health and sport science. “The Anatomage Table both expands and enhances our ability to provide student-centered, hands-on learning opportunities to our undergraduates.”

The Department of Health and Sport Science will implement the Anatomage Table into its curriculum in the semester beginning in January.