Teaching radiology with PowerPoint means screenshots, static images, and no window/level control — the moment you need to demonstrate soft tissue versus bone windows, or walk through findings sequentially, the workflow breaks down.
I built a browser-based oral radiology teaching tool to address exactly this. It loads DICOM images directly in the browser, lets instructors annotate radiographic findings in advance, and then launches a structured presentation mode that steps through each annotation individually — with full window and level control and descriptive text overlaid on the region of interest.
Why this matters for teaching:
🔲 DICOM-native — no lossy screenshot conversions; the diagnostic image is the teaching image
⚙️ Real-time W/L adjustment — learners see how windowing changes the diagnostic picture, not a frozen JPG. Critically, this also compensates for projector output in the classroom, where ambient light and display variability routinely wash out soft tissue contrast in standard screenshots
🗂️ Annotation-driven sequencing — findings are revealed one at a time, maintaining structured discovery rather than overwhelming the viewer
📝 Contextual text overlay — teaching points are anchored spatially to the finding, not buried in slide notes
🌐 Zero installation — runs in any modern browser; nothing to download or configure
The tool also includes a dedicated student mode:
👁️ Students can view all instructor annotations or selectively hide them — supporting self-directed discovery before or after the session
🔍 Full zoom in/out for detailed inspection of regions of interest
✏️ Students can add their own annotations and personal notes directly onto the image, following along with the presentation in real time
These are capabilities that PowerPoint, Keynote, and even dedicated slide tools simply cannot replicate without cumbersome workarounds.
If you teach oral or maxillofacial radiology — or any imaging-heavy discipline — I’d welcome your feedback. Happy to share the technical approach for anyone looking to adapt it.
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