Chapter 24: The Respiratory System
Destinations


Our world is changing. A big factor in that change is the Internet - in particular, the World Wide Web. Television is gradually giving way, even in leisure activities, to computers (yes, I admit, I'm a "mouse potato"), and "mouseketeers" has a whole new meaning for those old enough to remember the term. Once encouraged to "let our fingers do the walking," which really meant "the dialing" (which of course really isn't dialing anymore), we can now simply click a mouse button to shop for almost anything, anywhere, anytime -- including, fortunately, knowledge.

The Web contains sites with information on almost every topic imaginable. The range is vast, not only in subject matter but also, alas, in quality. Some sites are fantastically well-presented, accurate, and current; others are hardly worth the time it takes to find them. So we've done a little "mousework" on your behalf: below we offer some links to quality sites relevant to this chapter. Let us know if you find other good ones; we'll update this list throughout the semester, as the Web (and the world) keeps changing!

The University of Washington's colorful, dynamic collection of 3D images of the major thoracic organs, includes the lungs and bronchial tree, reconstructed from stained sections. It also shows anatomical sections, CT, X-Ray, and contrast studies. Structures can be identified and outlined by pointing and clicking. (Image transitions can be painfully slow with a typical modem connection.)

The Virtual Hospital: Pulmonary
Part of the University of Iowa College of Medicine's vast "Virtual Hospital," this is an index of online resources pertaining to the lower respiratory system, with an emphasis on radiology. It includes links to multimedia textbooks, teaching files, patient simulations, lectures, publications, and clinical guidelines on topics ranging from lung anatomy to pediatric airway disease and much, much more. It is highly detailed, with many radiographic images

Pulmonary Pathology Index
This site provides many photos of normal and diseased lungs - gross and microscopic views. Explanatory text accompanies each image.