Applications of multidimensional computer graphics in medical systems

Multidimensional computer graphics are demonstrated in two medical systems applications in this paper. First, multidimensional computer graphics are utilized for descriptive purposes to show the differences among 10 physician specialty groups for multivariate data available at admission to medical school. Second, multidimensional computer graphics are demonstrated as a method that can be used for screening school applicants. The novel method utilized to represent multivariate data requires the plotting of a face. Each feature of a face--for example, face height or ear diameter-can be utilized to represent a different dimension of multivariate data. Each face then represents a vector whose elements are the mean values of multiple variables, or it represents a multivariate observation.