Scientific Imaging & Looking Inside a Knee

Nate Kreuter — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:55:10 +0000

Over the summer I was unfortunate enough to require a reconstruction of my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). As I was wheeled out of the clinic in an anaesthetic haze, my doctor handed me a series of photos not unlike the ones below.

After this, my second time having an ACL reconstructed, I began to wonder about why doctors would give departing patients "before and after" pictures of the insides of their knee. Without an explanation from a trained professional these pictures are practically meaningless. Is it to prove they actually did their job, that they actually replaced something in the knee? Is it to provide a little something for the scrapbook, so I can fondly remember my summer morning in the outpatient surgery center? At any rate, I think there must be some rhetorical motive for giving patients these types of pictures. And I should point out that this seems to be a convention in orthopaedic surgery. Some doctors even give their patients videos of the surgery shot through fiber optic endoscopes. I'm not sure what all this means. But when my doctor checks his handiwork later today, I'm going to ask. I'll post his answer in the comments section.

Microscopic photography at the Micropolitan Museum

John Jones — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:44:59 +0000

Those of you interested in the rhetoric of science should enjoy The Micropolitan Museum of Microscopic Art Forms, which is supported by the fantastically-named Institute for the Promotion of the Less than One Millimeter. The site boasts some beautiful imagery which, along with the accompanying text, should be able to spark some fantastic discussions about the relationship of visuals and scientific knowledge.

Here’s some text to get you started. This quote is from the “© Wim van Egmond” page

In this type of work there is no need to deform reality to create abstract images. The credits go to the wonderful life forms that inhabit this Museum of Invisible Life. The photographer is now just a curator. He scoops up the artworks with a pipette, presses a button or two and patiently fills the museum.

and this one is from the “about the images” page

If you like to create good photomicrographs it is not the expense of the equipment that is most important. It is more the manipulative skills of making a good microscopic slide. The way you prepare a sample is essential for a good result.

via Boing Boing

viz. - Scientific Imaging

Scientific Imaging & Looking Inside a Knee

Microscopic photography at the Micropolitan Museum