2021, Vol.34, No.3

Anatomy & Biological Anthropology 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.33

pISSN : 2671-5651 / eISSN : 2671-566X
https://journal.kci.go.kr/aba

The sectioned images of Visible Korean Project can display the structures of entire body in detail by virtue of the real color and high resolution. To utilize the sectioned images for various purposes, automatic image processing should be done. However, the automation for the sectioned images could not be easily done because of real color and high resolution of the images. This study aimed to introduce automatic techniques for image processing of the sectioned images to help researchers save working times for this processing. The automatic techniques for the sectioned images were developed using commercial software such as Adobe Photoshop and Matlab and non-commercial software such as MRIcroGL and FMRIB Software Library. Also, we developed the self-developed software by C++ and JAVA script for the automatic techniques because some procedures unable to be processed using the software. By using the automatic techniques, the segmented images of some structures were made automatically from the sectioned images. From the sectioned images and the segmented images, the surface models and the volume models were produced automatically. To display both the sectioned images and segmented images, browsing software was used. To display the surface models and the volume model, Adobe Reader and MRIcroGL were used. By using the automaitc techniques, times and efforts for image processing of the sectioned images could be saved. However, since the automatic techniques could not produce complete results by itself, manual work should be done together in some procedures. To produce best results from the sectioned images, it was important to use the automation and the manual works in balance. In future studies, additional automatic techniques will be devised to reduce manual work for efficiency.

Computed tomography (CT) allows to inspect and identify the internal features of human tissues in a non-destructive way and to reconstruct their three-dimensional (3D) morphology. Nowadays, CT data have become one of the key research materials in the field of virtual anthropology. Particularly in forensic anthropology, CT data are often used not only to document biological properties of a population and generate population-specific standards for an identification purpose but also to perform comparative studies between populations. This study aims to survey the state of CT databases established in South Korea and research outcomes from the databases to understand the trend of forensic anthropological studies using Korean CT data, which will contribute to an expansion of the scope of Korean forensic anthropology. There are only a few Korean CT databases available for forensic anthropological studies. The largest Korean CT database is the Forensic CT Database managed by the National Forensic Service (NFS) since 2013. The NFS database is still growing by adding new CT data from the forensic cases and has a great potential as a research resource. Research articles using Korean CT data have been published in multiple domestic and international forensic journals since the late 2000s. The two most dominant topics were to generate Koreanspecific sex estimation techniques based on the metric assessment of different body parts and to examine the thickness and shape of soft tissues on the face in terms of the facial reconstruction. There are only a limited number of studies dealing with other topics such as age estimation. Recent advancement of the forensic imaging techniques including the CT method creates a new environment for researchers. In this situation, detailed information about the measurement methods and clearly defined variables are critical to conduct various inter-population comparisons and meta-analyses. Thus, when CT-related research is performed, the issue of standardization and reliability of the measurement methods should be considerately examined. The Korean CT databases established in a systemic and standardized way will contribute to a generation of the Korean-specific forensic standards as well as to an understanding of the human variations among populations.

Even though spatial and temporal conditions for cadaver lab have been worsened under the COVID-19 situation, anatomy teachers are seeking for optimal methods. In the institution of the authors, medical students are divided into two groups for cadaver lab to prevent possible infection. A questionnaire survey has been administered to the student and teachers, so as to evaluate the educational effect of dividing into two groups for cadaver lab. While approximately 10 students dissected one cadaver before COVID-19, approximately 5 students dissected one cadaver at the same time under the COVID-19 situation. Majority of students answered that the number of students per table was optimal in both spatial and temporal perspectives. However, the difficulty in communication between the two student groups was suggested as a major problem. The study suggests that students generally had positive opinions on the grouping method for cadaver lab. Even after the COVID-19 situation, the grouping method can be partially applied to draw its merit for effective anatomy teaching.