Requirements for an on-line knowledge-based anatomy information system.

User feedback from the Digital Anatomist Web-based anatomy atlases, together with over 20 years of anatomy teaching experience, were used to formulate the requirements and system design for a next-generation anatomy information system. The main characteristic of this system over current image-based approaches is that it is knowledge-based. A foundational model of anatomy is accessed by an intelligent agent that uses its knowledge about the available anatomy resources and the user types to generate customized interfaces. Current usage statistics suggest that even partial implementation of this design will be of great practical value for both clinical and educational needs.