Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of Research Trends and Hotspots in the Body Donation Field.

Abstract

Introduction: The development of body donation (BD) programs has varied significantly worldwide, with recent increases in donations. This study performed a visual analysis of BD research over the past 2 decades to explore trends and key areas of interest within the field.

Methods: This study used scientometric data from the Web of Science database and 2 bibliometric analysis tools: VOSviewer and CiteSpace.

Results: Between 2004 and 2024, 1384 BD articles were published in 568 journals. Publication and citation numbers increased consistently. Leading contributions come from institutions in Europe and the United States. The countries, institutions, journals, and authors with the highest publication counts included the United States (342), Medical University of Innsbruck (55), Anatomical Sciences Education (117), and Raffaele De Caro (26). The most frequently used keywords were BD, anatomy, dissection, attitude, medical education, transplantation, and organ donation. Keywords that showed significant bursts included outcomes, whole BD, educators, gross anatomy education, disease, in vitro studies, governing BD, adipose tissue, respect, and legal considerations.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that future research topics and hotspots in the BD field should focus on evaluating teaching effectiveness, enhancing medical ethics, improving legal frameworks, fostering public education and awareness, and advancing tissue engineering transplantation.