The use of a computerized brain atlas to support knowledge-based training in radiology

Trainers of radiologists face the particular challenges of teaching normal and abnormal appearance for a variety of imaging modalities, providing access to a large appropriately-indexed case library, and teaching a consistent approach to the reporting of cases. The computer has the potential to address these issues, to supplement conventional teaching of radiology by providing case-based tutoring and diagnostic support based on a large library of images of normal and abnormal anatomy, described in a consistent terminology. The paper presents a new approach to computer-based training in radiology that combines a knowledge-based tutor with an on-line medical atlas. It describes two existing computer systems, the MR Tutor and ATLAS, and discusses the medical, computational, epistemic, and pedagogic issues involved in developing a combined Atlas–Tutor. Integrating an atlas with a training system could significantly improve the teaching and support offered, but practical difficulties include the need to merge knowledge representations and to incorporate techniques for registering atlas plates on images that exhibit abnormalities. The paper addresses these problems, and concludes by indicating how the Atlas–Tutor might be employed in practical radiology training.