Accessing a WWW reference library of 3D models of pathological organs to support medical education

A major aspiration of the medical community is to use multimedia databases to disseminate important research or clinical information and for education. We describe a WWW reference library of 3D models of human organs containing pathological and normal organs organised in cases, together with a variety of educational and supporting tools. Although the emphasis is chiefly on the teaching of medical students and the continuing education of physicians, the library is also a potentially-valuable resource for diagnostic investigation. This paper describes the environment, methodologies and tools for supporting 3D models in medical education. The prototype of the system is currently being completed; the full system is scheduled for public access in the year 2000 through multimedia publishers.