Atlas of Human Anatomy, Professional Edition, 6e

Book Preface

“Anatomy, of course, does not change, but our understanding
of anatomy and its clinical significance does.”
– Frank H. Netter, MD

Whether you’re using this 6th edition of Atlas of Human Anatomy in print, as an e-Book, online, or in the Netter’s Anatomy Atlas for iPad app—Dr. Netter’s paintings of the intricacies of the human form remain as relevant today as at first launch. The publication of the 6th edition marks the silver anniversary of the first release of Frank H. Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy—when its vibrant colors and unique clinical perspective made it a must-have companion in anatomy classes, dissection labs, and clinical professional offices worldwide—solidifying his legacy to so many as one of the world’s most influential medical educators.

Anatomy remains a cornerstone of healthcare education. It is often one of the first topics taught in medical or healthcare curricula. Anatomy is also central to so much in clinical practice, from physical examination and radiologic imaging to surgery and physical rehabilitation. However, changes in anatomy education and its clinical application over these past 25 years have been significant. Medical and healthcare curricula increasingly integrate anatomy throughout and dedicated gross-anatomy hours have decreased. Some programs have discontinued full-body dissection. Advances in imaging technology have provided increasingly clearer views of living anatomy, and 3D models of anatomy continue to evolve. Likewise, the Atlas has evolved. Thanks to the tremendous guidance of leading clinical anatomists and expert anatomy educators, as well as the contributions of talented medical illustrators, the 6th edition features newly created illustrations and modern radiologic images that provide students with views of current clinical significance and perspectives that elucidate complex anatomic relationships. This edition also includes the illustrations from older editions of the Atlas, like Dr. Netter’s depictions of common anatomic variations (in electronic editions and print+electronic packages) as bonus plates to help provide more comprehensive coverage that dissection lab hours may not allow. For the first time, the Atlas incorporates muscle tables as quick look-up appendices at the end of each section for the convenience of the clinician, student, or educator with little time. StudentConsult.com and NetterReference.com electronic resources include some 3D models extracted from Netter’s 3D Interactive Anatomy, dissection video selections from Netter’s Online Dissection Modules by UNC at Chapel Hill, and other supporting resources. In addition, all text throughout the Atlas has been meticulously updated to be in line with the most recent version of Terminologia Anatomica by the Federal International Program for Anatomical Terminology (FIPAT) of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA).

The unique visual perspective of Frank H. Netter is unsurpassed. Dr. Netter brought the hand of a master medical illustrator, the brain of a physician, and the soul of an artist to his depictions of the human body. This 25th anniversary edition celebrates the lasting impact of his work that continues to teach and inspire.