Relation to the Visible Human Project

The Stanford Visible Female dataset, restricted to the female pelvis, is similar to the National Library of Medicine's Visible Human Project. Both datasets are a series of digitized color photographs of human cryosections. They are being utilized in multiple ways, including in teaching human anatomy, basic research, and for developing 3D models of human anatomy.

However, the SVF project is unique in two important ways: the specimen is that of a 32 year old female and it was fixed in a standing position. These features are unlike the 59 year old post-menopausal Visible Human Female. The uterus and ovaries are those of a reproductive age female and do not reflect the atrophic signs of post-menopause. However, the data set is limited to the pelvic region, the sections are thicker, and CT or MRI images of the specimen are unavailable.