By Doug Nadvornick, College of Medical Sciences
SPOKANE, Wash. – Medical students in Spokane who work on cadavers as part of their anatomy lessons have a new tool, thanks to Inland Imaging.
The Spokane-based radiology company recently scanned 12 cadavers for the WWAMI (Washington Wyoming Alaska Montana Idaho) medical education program on the Washington State University Spokane campus. When students are in the anatomy lab, they can refer not only to the physical bodies on the tables in front of them, they can also look up at computer screens that show digital images created by Inland Imaging.
The estimated cost of the scans is almost $55,000.
This fall, 40 WWAMI medical and eight RIDE (Regional Initiatives in Dental Education) dental students are assigned to work on the cadavers. They do so in a state-of-the-art anatomy lab on WSU’s downtown health sciences campus.
Clinical associate professor Dave Conley said the gift allows students to integrate their learning of anatomy with clinical imaging and pathology.
“Since the students have access to full-body CT scans of the actual cadavers they dissect, they can preview what they will later reveal with the scalpel and review what they have learned after lab,” Conley said. “At the same time, they learn how to interpret cross sectional and 3-D images, a skill they will use with future patients for diagnosing normalcy and pathology.”
“It’s critical for today’s medical students to understand the role that imaging technology can play in understanding a patient’s condition and coordinating the most effective possible care,” said Jayson Brower, president of Inland Imaging. “As medical education and the role of the health care community continue to expand in our region, we’re committed to playing an active and positive role in its growth.”
Contacts:
David Conley, WSU College of Medical Sciences, 509-358-7519, dmc@wsu.edu
Nancy Fike, WSU Spokane development, 509-358-7616, nancy.fike@wsu.edu