Surface and Radiological Anatomy: with a Clinical Perspective

Surface anatomy forms the basis of clinical examination. The surface topography of various organs and structures helps to identify pathologies, such as organomegaly, delineate organ boundaries, helps in percussion and relates to organs that is involved. Awareness of dermatome distribution helps in identifying various neurological disorders. Radiological anatomy is essential to locate tissues and organs and also important for diagnosis of various diseases. This helps to visualize the internal structures which is not possible to the naked eye. Hence normal radiology of various regions of the human body will help the clinician to look in the right direction and associate structures involved with clinical history and examination. The information about the ossification centers helps students not only to understand about the development of the bones, it also helps in orthopedics and forensic science, to assess the age of the individual and in medicolegal aspects of fetuses and newborns.