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Making a virtual embryo. This animation of a stage 20 (50+-1 day) Carnegie embryo was produced by scanning the whole specimen with magnetic resonance imaging. The image data was then displayed as a virtual embryo whose apparent three-dimensionality and movements create an illusion of life. MRI is most suitable for embryos older than Carnegie stage 12, when signal-to-noise and contrast become sufficient for useful images. Publication on a website made the pictures of Carnegie embryos accessible to a large and diverse audience. According to the author, a specialist in medical imaging, this includes pregnant women, science writers, teachers, academics, publishers, exhibit designers, medical and high school students, boyfriends of pregnant girlfriends, TV and movie producers, abortion advocates, stem-cell research advocates and religious leaders. The images have also been used in textbooks, research papers, television productions, other websites, training software and art projects.
Bradley R. Smith, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
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