BIOEE 3780

Computerized Tomography of Vertebrates

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2018-2019.

This course is an introduction to CT visualization for its applications in comparative biology of the vertebrates. Students will learn and practice the exploration of vertebrate anatomy with OSIRIX 3-D visualization software or its future replacement; work on student-designed projects and/or a large survey of the vertebrates based on CT scans from specimens in the Cornell museum as well as the Smithsonian and other museums around the world.            

When Offered Fall, Spring.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Recommended prerequisite: BIOEE 2740 or BIOSM 2740.

Course Attribute (CU-UGR)

• CT- visualization and methods: Students will be able to perform the following basic functions: work with three separate 2-D slices of anatomy (3D-MPR) to orient each of the frames to a desired coordinate system; find organs across multiple views and delineate them as 3-D regions of interest (ROI's); apply different Color Look Up Tables (CLUTs) to images; produce simple single-orientation videos moving through one dimension of 3-D structure. They will also be able to discuss the pros and cons of different staining and scanning methods and resolutions, and they will be able to describe the strengths of the different software packages used in the class.
• Vertebrate Anatomy: Students will be able to recognize in CT images all the major organs of vertebrate digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory and reproductive systems as well as all major bones.
• Comparative Biology: Students will be able to discuss the fundamental challenge of comparative biology in the context of anatomy: teasing apart phylogenetic and functional influences on anatomical character variation. They will also be able to discuss the concept of homology and the interpretation of anatomical features across representatives of multiple clades.
• Projects and Hypothesis-testing: Students will present results of their first CT explorations of vertebrate anatomy as a Powerpoint presentation to the group. These presentations will include an outside rendering of the specimen plus one video through one of the planes of view.

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