Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy – Celebrating 25 Years
“Anatomy, of course, does not change, but our understand-
ing of anatomy and its clinical signiFcance does.”
–
Frank H. Netter, MD
Whether you’re using this 6
th
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 6
th
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 educa-
tion. 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 through-
out 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 6
th
edition features newly
created illustrations and modern radiologic images that
provide students with views of current clinical significance
and perspectives that elucidate complex anatomic relation-
ships. 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 comprehen-
sive 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 conve-
nience 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 Net-
ter’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 25
th
anniversary
edition celebrates the lasting impact of his work that contin-
ues to teach and inspire.
We want to hear from you
—about the history
and future of anatomy education and medicine and the
Netter legacy and invite you to share your thoughts, inspira-
tions, memories, tributes, and feedback with us through
email:
and on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/NetterImages
