Skyscape is one of the most popular medical resource providers in the App Store. They offer a vast range of over 600 medical resources for healthcare professionals of all grades and modalities.

Skyscape offers a ‘freemium’ model, where the app itself and some content is available for free. However, more desirable premium content comes at a price. One of the most popular premium resources is Netters Atlas of Human Anatomy.

Netters is one of the most popular and best selling anatomy resources alongside other heavyweights such as Grays Anatomy, Agur, Moore’s clinical anatomy, and Thieme’s Anatomy to name just a few. Netters Atlas of Human Anatomy for iPad is based on the 5th edition and contains over 530 colour illustrations.

The user interface of Skyscape resources has always been driven by utility and functionality. Netters Atlas of Human Anatomy is no different with a text interface. There are 4 main features:

• A ‘Table of Contents’ mode
• A searchable index
• A history function (with bookmarks)
• Skyscape’s Smartlink technology designed to bring multiple Skyscape resources together.

The search and history function are effective and it was straightforward to find various anatomical areas of interest. It should be noted that the history function will also include articles viewed in other Skyscape resources (see screenshot).

The quality of any anatomy app is strongly based on the quality of its anatomical illustrations. Netter’s hand drawn diagrams are renowned and transfer to the iPads 9 inch screen with excellent results.

Some iTunes reviews suggest that the quality and resolution of the diagrams is of a low standard. I found that this was only apparent when zooming in using standard touch gestures.

This was sometimes an issue when zooming in on highly detailed areas (see screenshots for example of before zoom, medium zoom and full zoom).

Despite these image resolution issues, the actual range of anatomy covered in this app is excellent. There are numerous images of each anatomical region and area which helps consolidate anatomical understanding of complex structures.

Each image has tens of labels ensuring that every structure is annotated. As such, many healthcare professionals will find it useful as a reference resource.

Each diagram is labeled with a number of blue dots which can be touched to show the answer. There is some inconsistency here as clicking some labels brings up a blue notification box while clicking others open a new page. The blue notification box system is fine as it allows you to continue observing the original image.

Opening a new page is not an effective system. You lose sight of the image and therefore can get confused about exactly which structure is being noted. It would have been nice to have the particular structure highlighted once it had been selected. In the screenshots below, one label was clicked in the image on the left and the label displayed was the image on the right.

Skyscape has taken a leaf out of Inklings business model and allow user’s to purchase individual sections at a reduced price rather than the whole book. Skyscape also offers an interesting ‘Rent a book’ offer where you can get access to the whole textbook for 12 months for a marginally reduced price ($71.95 vs. $76.95). The main difference is that renting a book includes access to any new editions that may be released within that year.

Price:

• $79.99

Likes:

• Complete collection of anatomical illustrations covering the whole human body
• Numerous images cover anatomical areas from a number of views helping to understand the complex interplay between various anatomical structures.

Dislikes:

• Opening a new page when selecting a label
• Resolution of images when magnified can be poor making the anatomy unclear

Overall Rating:

• Whilst Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy is expensive, it is a complete anatomy text with decent anatomical illustrations.
• The labeling system needs updating before it can be fully recommended as the app is difficult to use when a new page opens once a label has been selected.
• Similarly there are potentially a number of issues relating to the low resolution of images during magnification.
• Overall Skyscape’s version of Netter’s Atlas of Anatomy is a good anatomy atlas, although it is not a stand out contender.

iTunes link:
Android Review of Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy

Note: iPhone users can find our review of the Netter’s Musculoskeletal Flash Card app here.

iMedicalApps is currently reviewing a wide range of anatomy apps in order to find out which are the most useful. One strong contender is the NOVA series which covers a wide range of anatomical regions.

We have previously reviewed Brain Pro and were impressed, noting “This application contains many successful features such as realistic images, selective layers, pin information and dynamic quiz function which ensures that it is certainly worth a look”.

One of the more successful applications of the NOVA series is Muscle System Pro II. This version (released specifically for iPad) is designed to be used as a learning tool using photo-realistic models which can be manipulated using standard touch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom and swipe gestures.

Users can rotate, cut, zoom, and view animations of the body gaining an understanding of the complex anatomy associated with the musculoskeletal system.

Initially you are presented with a 3D model of the human body which can be dissected into a number of layers, demonstrating the musculature from superficial to deep. The quality of the 3D model is excellent and adds to the overall experience.

Zooming into a particular region, such as the shoulder, elbow, or knee causes the app to load a detailed 3D anatomical model of that region. This can also be manipulated using touch gestures and can be ‘dissected’ into a number of layers using the scalpel tool. The ability to look up a single area is fantastic and really helps develop understanding of the gross anatomy.

In any view, it is possible to switch on standard pin labels which illustrate all the main musculoskeletal points in the given view. These pins are only visible when the anatomical model is either viewed laterally or anterior-posterior. To date, no anatomy app developer has found a way to maintain the location of pins on a 3D model as it is manipulated.

Selecting a pin displays all the information regarding the muscle such as origin, insertion, action, innervation and blood supply. Muscle Pro II also includes the ability to add notes to each pin whilst pins can also be added manually – these are denoted with a yellow pin.

I sometimes found there were views which I wanted but weren’t available.

One example of this is a transverse slice through the leg which is usually the best way to illustrate the different muscular compartments. The model was generally very easy to manipulate in terms of anterior, posterior and lateral views however, I did encounter difficulties using the superior or inferior view as it was often not available.

The search function was useful to quickly locate muscles, with a nice touch being the transition from your current viewpoint to the muscle in question.  The search function also takes you through the layers and allows you to rotate the model to find the optimal viewpoint.

It was disappointing to see that there were no pins on any of the skeletal bones given the synergy between this system and the musculoskeletal system. Although 3D4Medical.com does offer a skeletal system app (in the NOVA series), it would have been nice to combine the two in this case.

The quiz mode is a useful addition and can be setup to test a variety of regions or alternatively focus on one area. The format of the quiz is twelve ‘name the muscle’ multiple choice questions, each with six options. There is no ability to manipulate the model to get a better view, although it occasionally rotates around to offer a more useful view.

The app also contains a number of social sharing features which are becoming more common among mobile medical apps. Muscle Pro II offers the ability to share an anatomical view either by Email, Twitter or Facebook.

See a video of Muscle System Pro II below:

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Price:

• $19.99

Likes:

• Attractive 3D model which can be easily manipulated to understand complex muscle anatomy
• Detailed pin information
• Quiz function

Dislikes/Future improvements we’d like to see:

• Lack of information regarding skeletal components
• As an aside, the NOVA series are individually all very impressive. It would be fantastic to see 3D4Medical.com combine all their NOVA apps into one major NOVA anatomy atlas. Whilst this may be a far off idea, one can but hope.

Overall Rating:

• Muscle Pro II is an impressive app for those who are purely focused on the muscular system.
• While the lack of innervation information and skeletal components is disappointing, it is impossible to ignore the sheer quality of this app with regards to the muscular system.
• The price of Muscle Pro II is a fair reflection of the utility of this app, although the limitations should certainly be noted before purchasing.

iTunes link: Muscle System Pro II

Most of the anatomical apps available in the app store today focus on gross musculoskeletal anatomy and the market is relatively limited for those which focus on other areas of the body such as the major internal organs.

Anatomy 3D organs is one of a number of apps developed by Real Bodyworks.

It contains information relating to the anatomy, structure, function and histology of each of the major internal organs of the body. This review continues our series in which we examine a range of anatomy apps to find out which are the ‘best’.

Opening the app presents the user with an instruction page leading to a ‘contents’ page. Here the user can easily access all the information contained within the app by clicking on a specific organ to examine in more detail.

This leads to a one-page summary of the major anatomy, function, and histology. Each section is often supplemented with audio narration which explains the basic anatomy and function of the particular organ.

This page can be zoomed in using touch gestures although it is not possible to open magnified versions of the images. There is also the option to view the organ in a 3D model so it is possible to see where these organs are situated anatomically. The 3D models are simple yet attractive and clearly illustrate the major anatomical points.

There are a number of other useful features such as an anatomy quiz function and a glossary function. This is particularly well implemented as selecting a term opens the relevant page on wikipedia. Whilst not always a reliable source of information, it is usually acceptable for basic ideas and understanding. There are also audio narrations and short videos which explain the relevant anatomy and function of that particular organ.

Whilst Anatomy 3D organs is attractive there are a number of major shortcomings which unfortunately restrict the utility of this app within a medical context. The primary one is the significant lack of detail. The actual anatomical detail contained within this app is minimal at best and covers only the major anatomical points. There is often critical omissions such as arterial/venous supply, innervation and clinical correlations. For example at no point was I able to find the Right Coronary Artery on the Heart model (the Left coronary artery was there but the Left Anterior Descending was not).

As such, this app cannot be recommended to healthcare professionals for anything other than the most basic introduction to the internal organs and their function. There may however — and it’s a stretch – be some use if this app was ‘prescribed’ to patients who were undergoing surgery and wanted a basic introduction to the anatomy and function of their organs.

Price:

• $6.99

Likes:

• Attractive app combining multiple media such as audio, video and 3D models
• Wikipedia based glossary function

Dislikes:

• Lack of detail throughout
• No clinical correlations

Overall Rating:

• This is a very attractive app and could be used by junior healthcare professional students looking for a (very) basic understanding of how the body works
• Unfortunately, Anatomy Organs 3D is let down by a lack of crucial detail which means it is of limited use for anything but the most basic introduction
• Its cheap price and basic knowledge mean this app may have some use for patients who are keen to learn more about their own anatomy

iTunes link:

There are many different learning styles when it comes to anatomy on the iPad. Some read books while others watch audiovisual lectures and yet another group of learners prefers to use flash cards.

Borm Bruckmeier Publishing is probably the leading medical flash card app developer having been featured on iMedicalApps a number of times. Anatomy i-Pocket is targeted at a range of healthcare professionals and designed as an aide memoir.

The table of contents covers the major regions of gross anatomy (see screenshot) which can be expanded for a range of more detailed choices.

The range of anatomy covered is good and while this will not replace an anatomy atlas or a surgical manual, it is useful for a physician to quickly check and recap key anatomical landmarks.

There is minimal clinical correlations included with the anatomy.

It is easy to transfer between different subsections using the arrows at the top of each page although this could be improved with the addition of swipe gestures. The search function is particularly helpful when trying to find a particular region/anatomical location.

The success of any visual anatomy application is inherently linked to the quality of its diagrams and Anatomy i-Pocket does not disappoint. There are 258 annotated hand drawings covering the wide range of gross anatomy.

The anatomical drawings themselves are very good and the use of arrows clearly indicate the relevant anatomical structures. Some users may find the lack of colour impacts their understanding and this would certainly be an improvement.

In addition, the user interface could be improved with pinch-to-zoom in order to examine the finer detail of the drawings. Despite this, it was still possible to see and understand key anatomical concepts.

This application is certainly best used as a gross anatomy refresher rather than the first port of call when looking to study anatomy. The lack of quiz function or ability to hide the labels mean that Anatomy i-Pocket may not be the first choice for students looking for an anatomy learning resource.

Price:

• $9.99 for universal app

Likes:

• Drawings are clear and detailed
• Good range of anatomy covered
• Universal App

Dislikes/Future updates:

• Would be helpful for some images to have colour to highlight key anatomical points
• Inability to swipe between pages using touch gestures

Overall Rating:

• Anatomy i-Pocket fulfills its role as a flash card based anatomy refresher app
• The clear diagrams and simple user interface allow relevant anatomy to be accessed rapidly whilst the level is suitable from medical student to practicing physician (not surgical)
• The reasonable price of $9.99 will appeal to many who want a basic anatomy application for the iPad.

iTunes link:

By: Darwin Wan, MS2

Endoscopy is a very exciting field of medicine encompassing both diagnosis and treatment.  It allows us to perform remarkable tasks including visualize anatomy and pathology, biopsy and ultrasound tissues, insert stints and resect masses.

Much teaching however, is done using expensive virtual endoscopy simulators that are often reserved for residents and fellows.  Where are medical students to go for their endoscopy education?

iBronch is an app that aims to help students learn the basic anatomy of the trachea and bronchi through the lens of a fiberoptic bronchoscope.  By dragging your finger across a schematic of the pulmonary tree, you are able to view corresponding bronchoscopic images of the corresponding anatomy.  Branches of the pulmonary tree are labeled on the schematic and the bronchoscopy images.

The app also gives the option of turning off the anatomy labeling so that the bronchoscopy is unobstructed.

The last option available is the ability to view the entire bronchoscopy as it was performed on video

Unfortunately, as short as this review has been, all the features of the app have been covered.  iBronch’s basic idea is good, but the content is just too limited to be very useful, even for students.  The app basically boils down a video of a bronchoscopy, with different points in the video triggered depending on which part of the schematic your finger is on.

iBronch would provide much greater value if it could be expanded to include other modes of endoscopy, such as colonoscopy, cystoscopy, nasopharyngoscopy, laryngoscopy, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy.  iBronch would also be greatly enhanced if there was the ability to view different types lung pathology and descriptions of them, rather than just viewing normal anatomy.  In its current form, iBronch falls far short of the mark set by virtual endoscopy simulators.

I encourage the developers to add more content to the app to enhance its value as a teaching tool.  A 3D rendering of the pulmonary tree and the ability to control the head of the bronchoscope (ie. perform maneuvers such as looking up, down, rotation, retroflexion and the J-maneuver) would be most ideal.  But for now, iBronch’s content is just too limited to be useful for medical professionals.

Likes

• Bronchoscopy video with pertinent anatomy labeled

Dislikes

• Content is too limited to be useful

Pricing

• $1.99

Conclusion

• iBronch provides a brief overview of bronchoscopy, but its sparse content limits its usefulness in education.

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibronch/id367757222?mt=8

By Brian Wells, MSM, MPH

“Aspects of Anatomy: Thorax and Upper Limb” is a new visual study guide for anatomy with the lessons given by Dr. Peter Abrahams, a professor of clinical anatomy at Warwick University and at St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada.

Dr. Abrahams has examined and lectured doctors worldwide and has won prior awards for classroom and electronic teaching of anatomy. His extensive experience, as well as a love for anatomy, truly shows through in this application.

Excerpt of App from iTunes:

Cutting edge film tutorials teaching on the “real human body” by one of the most acknowledged international experts in the field of clincial anatomy. Filmed at the West Midlands Surgical Training Centre on plastinated prosections the 38 short films (3-8 minutes each) are hands-on demonstrations by Prof. Peter Abrahams an expert teacher on integrating human anatomy with the world of medicine.

This application is geared towards those learning anatomy for the first time or for those who need a quick brush-up on their basic anatomy but do not have a lot of time to sit and read a textbook. Dr. Abrahams provides excellent study points and does a very good job of highlighting major structures of which clinicians should be aware.

In addition to teaching anatomy, there are brief videos that discuss radiologic anatomy and cross section. These videos include an introduction to radiology, 2D radiology such as one would see in an axial CT, 3D radiology and even real-time 4D radiology of the heart.

Aside from only covering anatomy, this application also provides a few clinical condition/technique videos on breast cancer, carpal tunnel syndrome, Colles’ fracture and coronary angiography. Finally, this app also provides quiz functionality over the various areas covered by the videos, such as the thoracic wall, the lungs, the lung bronchial tree, the thoracic cavity lung, the heart and others.

Strengths:

• This app does an excellent job of reviewing major anatomical structures and integrating quiz-based learning with the lessons.
• All the videos are available offline which makes for easy viewing anywhere.
• While not as detailed as what can be found in full anatomical textbooks, Dr. Abrahams has carefully picked anatomic structures relevant to clinical anatomy.
• The end user will find value in watching the videos and going through the quizzes for reinforcement.

Weaknesses:

• It would be nice for the application to include more videos on radiologic anatomy and clinical conditions. However, given the number of videos, the quality of the video, the narration and quiz feature in the application, it would be hard to count this as a deal-breaking weakness.
• The most glaring weakness of this app:  Its not customized for the iPad’s screen — where its utility would significantly increase.

Overall:

• Overall, this is an excellent application for learning anatomy. While it will not completely replace the Rohen Atlas or Netter’s Anatomy, it makes for a wonderful addition to one’s study materials.
• The videos combined with the quiz feature in the application make learning anatomy easy and help reinforce the lessons covered.
• At only $7.99, I would consider this app a bargain, especially compared to textbooks which I have spent $30 and $40 dollars on.
• Dr. Abrahams’ skill as a teacher of clinical anatomy shows as his lessons are presented in a logical, easy to understand manner.
• I highly recommend this application to students of clinical anatomy.

YouTube video of the application: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCp-9WfmhQA

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aspects-of-anatomy/id422032949?mt=8

Price: $7.99

Disclaimer: Dr. Peter Abrahams is affiliated with St. George’s University School of Medicine. However, I have never met Dr. Abrahams nor have I ever attended one of his lectures. I have no financial interests in this application.