Healthcare, the new frontier of anatomy: digital twin of bodies donated to science

A latest-generation CT scanner has been installed at the Anatomy Center of the University of Bologna. It is the first in Italy to be used for research and training of doctors on human anatomy. The device, a new Philips Incisive CT purchased thanks to Pnrr funds, will scan bodies donated to science to collect information and provide new tools and knowledge to precision medicine. “We are the national reference center for body donation to science. In Bologna, therefore, we receive the bodies, which are donated with a great gesture of generosity. These bodies can be scanned: we create a digital twin for each body we receive and we can reconstruct models, both 3D printed and virtual, to develop technologies for surgical navigation, develop personalized prostheses for patients, test and develop technologies or skills in the medical field”, explains Stefano Ratti, professor of Anatomy at the Alma Mater and promoter of the project. “This is a project that combines medical training, from the first year of Medicine to the last years of ultra-professionalization, with scientific and technological research,” Ratti emphasizes. “Thanks to this technology, it is possible to transform the anatomical image into an imaginative tool , capable of supporting personalized surgical simulations and top-level training. From the donated body, new possibilities for care and knowledge arise: an act of generosity that generates innovation,” adds the professor. The new computed tomography allows for extremely precise three-dimensional reconstructions of bodies donated to science, preserved in the Alma Mater Anatomical Center, which is a national reference center accredited by the Ministry of Health. “This is an application outside the traditional clinical context that demonstrates how innovation can support research and training in the service of precision medicine and people's health,” remarks Valeria Nardella , TC product manager at Philips Italia. “For the first time we can combine direct observation of the body structure with advanced virtual modeling. In this way it is possible to approach the reality of the human body with a precision and versatility never seen before, to the benefit of research and teaching,” explains Emanuela Marcelli, coordinator of the Edimes Lab (Biomedical Engineering Laboratory) and professor at the Alma Mater. “In the field of maxillofacial surgery, advanced anatomical imaging revolutionizes the approach to complex reconstructions. Having access to realistic three-dimensional models, obtained from donated bodies, allows us to plan interventions in a safer, more targeted and effective way,” assures Giovanni Badiali, surgeon and professor at the Alma Mater. The Anatomical Center of Bologna, thanks to the law that makes it a national point of reference, receives about ten bodies a year from donors who have chosen to make their bodies available for scientific research in the medical field. "All the interventional or surgical specialization schools come to train with us. Soon we will have a course related to robotic surgery. In these rooms, which we will see at the end, we can test the interventions without putting the patient at risk. With the CT scan, therefore with advanced imaging, we can integrate this with new technologies", concludes Ratti.