A Simple Method for Creating Medical Illustrations Using Tablets

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 15; no. 6; p. e40841
• Main Authors: Kimura, Masashi, Kondo, Yutaro, Hyodo, Mizuki, Kataoka, Tatsuya, Hashimoto, Kengo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 23-06-2023; Cureus
• Subjects: Dentistry; Illustrations; Medical Education; Oncology; Portable computers; Software; Surgeons; United States > US; digital; illustration; intraoperative photograph; surgical record; computer assist
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.40841

Medical illustrations are defined as illustrations that contain and convey medical information. Illustrations in surgical records play a pivotal role not only in recording medical information but also in sharing surgical information, improving own surgical skills, and teaching young doctors. However, we believe that creating a medical illustration from a blank sheet of paper is challenging for beginners. The computer-assisted illustration technique proposed in this article not only saves time but also provides accurate and easy-to-understand medical illustrations. This technical note aims to introduce a simple and easy method for creating medical illustrations by tracing intraoperative photographs using an iPad™ and an Apple Pencil™. We believe that "anyone can draw" detailed, easy-to-understand medical illustrations using the present method, and we hope that many young doctors will actively create medical illustrations.