Atlas of Anatomy

Abstract

Of the bewildering variety of anatomical atlases currently available, many are of extremely high quality and making a selection from this range of choices can be invidious. However, this book be confidently recommended for inclusion on a shortlist by anyone considering which atlas they should purchase. This is quite simply because the quality of illustrations is exceptional and the labelling is clear and easy to read: two prime features that are the essentials of a useful atlas. Gilroy and co-authors have produced a concise, single-volume whole-body atlas. The illustrations on each topic occupy a two-page spread that explains the region or part under consideration. These illustrations form the keystone of the atlas. They are supplemented by schematic explanatory diagrams illustrating clinical or functional detail. Alongside these diagrams there are relevant radiographic images, clinical notes and illustrations of surface anatomy. A feature of the book that should be especially appreciated by students is that the anatomy of each region is first explored systematically followed by topographic, regional illustrations that serve to unite the systematic illustrations. A comment I frequently hear from my students as they begin studying anatomy is that they can lose sight of the bigger picture as they study parts of a single structure region by region. The approach adopted here should help in the understanding of structures as a whole as their parts are encountered successively in each region in which they are found. Limited amounts of supplementary text provide overviews of structures or regions where appropriate and there are tables summarising the anatomy of muscles and nerves. The feature that sets this atlas apart from its rivals is the exceptionally high standard of pictorial reproduction. The illustrations are as good as, or in many cases better than, any I have seen in other atlases of comparable quality. This is a highly competitive area of medical publishing and so this represents a considerable achievement. For instance, the images of the skull show a level of clarity that enable a very thorough appreciation of the wealth of anatomical detail that will be invaluable when used alongside an actual specimen. The illustrations of regional anatomy display a similar level of clarity and detail and are a pleasure to look at. The other feature of the reproduction that is not obvious on first looking at this atlas but becomes so on repeated viewings is the muted colour schemes that have been adopted: these are very restful to the eye. This may seem a small point but these colours are easier to look at during long periods of study. The labels are well set out and can easily be traced to the structures on the illustrations themselves. Inevitably one has quibbles in such a comprehensive text. Perhaps the most significant problem, and this is not a criticism but rather an observation, is the sheer level of detail in this book. It goes far beyond that expected of any medical or dental undergraduate student in the UK and, I suspect, in many instances elsewhere. Of course any student purchasing this book would have a resource that would last an entire professional career but in the early stages of learning anatomy some students will need guidance as to the level of detail they would be expected to assimilate. There are also areas where I would take issue with some interpretations. For example, the illustrations of the cricoarytenoid joint of the larynx show rotation occurring in the arytenoid cartilages along their vertical axes. If such rotation does occur it is only a very small component of the movement. However, any book setting out with such a comprehensive aim is going to offer divergences of opinion and I do not think this detracts from the book in any way. Indeed, it demonstrates to students that there are many areas of anatomy that remain fully to be understood and that far from being a subject where everything is known, it is one we are still learning about. In summary this books succeeds admirably in its aim of providing a single-volume whole-body atlas of anatomy of the highest quality, and the praise it receives in its foreword is amply justified. I confidently recommend it for consideration for inclusion on any reading list. Although it is highly detailed it should act as a source of inspiration for enthusiastic students to deepen their anatomical knowledge. It provides a first-rate introduction to the detailed and comprehensive clinical anatomy needed in modern clinical practice.