National University joins an elite group of health science institutions in owning a state-of-the-art Anatomage Table -today’s most technologically advanced digital visualization system for anatomy education.  There are fewer than 100 tables in the US, and only 300 in the world.

The Anatomage Table is currently being used by many of the world’s leading medical schools and institutions. National University of Health Sciences is one of very few medical schools specializing in complementary and alternative medicine that offers the table to its students, faculty and clinicians.  The Anatomage has been featured on TED Talks, PBS, Fuji TV, and in numerous journals for its innovative approach to anatomy presentation.

About the same size as an operating table, the digital Anatomage software display offers:

• High quality interactive, multi-layered 3D renderings of real data from human specimens. Images can be cut and viewed along any plane, enlarged or rotated on any axis for better viewing.
• A digital library that includes over one hundred twenty pathological examples, allowing students to not only dissect normal gross anatomy, but also experience abnormal pathologies.
• A radiology workstation to upload patient images for radiology consultation, surgery case review, patient consultation, and research purposes as well as anatomy education.
• 4D scans allow students to visualize respiration and beating heart scans with full interactivity. Users can even cut into and manipulate the scans while retaining motion capabilities.

The Anatomage is set up in the NUHS Learning Resource Center for individual, clinical and group study. Its touchscreen and menu are intuitive, and help screens are available to explore its full range of features.

National University students already study anatomy through dissection of human cadavers in the university’s gross anatomy laboratory. Cadaver-based anatomy is part of the curricula in its chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, oriental medicine, massage therapy and biomedical science programs. The Anatomage Table will enhance student learning by providing an additional dimension to the laboratory experience.

“The new Anatomage will never replace human dissection and cadaver-based anatomy classes in our programs, ” explains NUHS President Joseph Stiefel.  “However, it will be an incomparable tool for study and will augment learning in anatomy, diagnostic imaging and the clinical sciences. We are grateful to our Alumni Association for contributing toward such an invaluable learning tool for our students.”

A strong emphasis in anatomy education is an important hallmark in the university’s history. It originally moved from its Iowa location to Chicago in 1908 specifically so that its students could access anatomy and pathology laboratories at Cook County Hospital. This made it the first chiropractic education program to offer human dissection as part of its basic science education.

“Our history at National University has always been to be a step ahead when it comes to anatomy and diagnostic imaging education, and with the Anatomage, we are continuing that leadership role,” says President Stiefel.

For more information on The Anatomage Table and its capabilities, explore the playlist of videos below.