Enhancing Radiology Education Through Immersive Virtual Reality: A Comparative Study Of 2D DICOM And 3D Neuroanatomical Models

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) in enhancing radiology education by comparing students interpretation of neuroanatomical cases using traditional 2D DICOM images versus immersive 3D models. A within-subjects quantitative design was employed, involving 28 postgraduate students enrolled in the master’s program in Radiology and Imaging Technology at Jamia Hamdard. Participants engaged with five anonymized neuro cases using the Immersive Education VR platform, which enabled interactive visualization of both 2D images and high-resolution 3D anatomical models. The assessment was conducted using standardized questions designed to evaluate anatomical comprehension, spatial reasoning, and diagnostic accuracy. Findings demonstrated that the use of immersive 3D models significantly improved students’ understanding of complex neuroanatomy and enhanced diagnostic performance compared to traditional 2D methods. These results support the integration of VR-based immersive learning tools in radiology education to foster deeper anatomical insight and clinical interpretation skills.