The instructional effectiveness of a radiology multimedia textbook (HyperLung) versus a standard lecture.

Objective: Information overload is a significant problem for the modern radiologist. This prospective study compares the instructional effectiveness of a multimedia textbook (HyperLung) with a lecture. HyperLung is a radiologic multimedia textbook about imaging diffuse lung disease created using a multimedia authoring tool, the Annotator (the University of Iowa Second Look Computing, Iowa City, IA), on the Apple Macintosh computer (Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA).

Methods: Forty-nine staff physicians and residents in the Department of Radiology were randomized to receive instruction either by HyperLung or by a lecture. The instructional content was the same in both groups, and both groups were tested before and after instruction. The actual time spent in each instructional situation was recorded.

Results: The instructional effectiveness of the multimedia textbook and lecture was equal. The instructional efficiency of HyperLung was only 60% of the lecture. Users of the multimedia textbook found it enjoyable and straightforward to use.

Conclusions: Multimedia textbooks have a promising future in radiology education.