Bringing the Past to Life: Pathology Lab Catalogue

Many interesting, rare, historical and modern anatomical specimens are held within the Licensed Premises of the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Anatomy Department. The accepted procedure for maintaining a library of anatomical specimens, both pathological and normal, is to preserve the tissue in either a glass or Perspex receptacle containing a preserving fluid. There are limitations to the process. Firstly they require a high maintenance threshold, being topped-up with fluid on a regular basis and they may even leak, therefore requiring a pot repair. In the worst case scenario, the pot and specimen can be dropped, exposing the immediate area a risk to toxic chemicals. There are also legislative restrictions on the use of human tissue samples. The Human Tissue Act of 2004, however, does not cover images. The purpose of this project is the feasibility of using Photogrammetry to record 3-D colour images from historical potted anatomical human specimens. Hence, to develop an interactive catalogue of the hundreds of potted human specimens. The initial idea was using video capture of a rotating structure, 360 degree’s, which was then uploaded and edited. However, another idea that transpired was the use of an iPhone with an App called Scanverse. A large potted specimen was placed on a stationary flat surface, and the operator walking around the 360 degrees, scanning. Therefore, digitising the specimen and the software rendering it into a 3-D image. This proof of concept is to develop an interactive catalogue of the RJAH Human Specimens. The catalogue will include high resolution images and information for each of the specimens held within the trust. This will demonstrate the feasibility, effectiveness, and potential impact of the platform on improving learning outcomes with potential applications to include: medical education, research, clinical practice, public health, quality control and standardisation, professional development, patient care.
Ethics Statement: All Relevant Material pre-dates the Human Tissue Act.