Customer Reviews

Atlas of Anatomy (Thieme Anatomy)

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Thieme (pronounced "team-uh") atlas teaches anatomy from deep to superficial. Each unit starts with skeletal structures and subsequently adds muscles, organs, arteries, veins, lymph nodes and nerves. At the end of each unit, a few topography illustrations put everything in place to give the reader a since of the big picture. Finally, surface anatomy is presented to train the reader to see the anatomy underneath the skin of a patient. Figure captions, muscle tables, clinical correlations, and radiographs are present and helpful, but perhaps a little sparse. Radiographs are present in Netter, but the others aren't, though they ARE present and abundant on the accompanying website, netteranatomy.com . The Thieme website winkingskull.com is comparatively weak, but most of its content is free if you register.

The organization of this atlas is consistent throughout and far superior to Grant and Netter atlases, perhaps because the illustrators and collaborators built this atlas from the ground up around this "deep to superficial" concept of teaching anatomy. There are more illustrations in this atlas than Netter and Grant, allowing the illustrations to focus on a few key concepts with each. (There are also schematics illustrating the path of lymph node drainage and autonomic innervation, the former being seriously lacking in Netter.) Sometimes when I was learning anatomy, I felt that Netter and Grant illustrations threw too much at me to learn in a single illustration. I would have LOVED having this atlas during those moments. But this leads me to a weak point in this atlas as compared to Netter (and maybe Grant): the "topography" sections that I mentioned above, with "everything" put in place, are inferior to the other two atlases. The courses that arteries, veins, and nerves take just aren't depicted as well as in Netter. The neurovasculature of the lower limb comes to mind as a weak area in the topography section. Also, each illustration is not as heavily labeled as in Netter. Great while you are learning anatomy, but a weak point for those who have already been through an anatomy course. Since this atlas is so "broken down" with weak topography sections, Grant and Netter will continue to reign in the cadaver lab. Netter is still my first reference as I review anatomy now. If the topography areas are revised and maybe a dozen more illustrations added, this atlas would top Netter hands down.

A friend of mine recently introduced me to this book and I have to say, I'm impressed. It's fantastic! I studied anatomy in my first year of med school so I'm familiar with the other big Atlases (Netter's, Gray's, Gosling's, Grant's...) but in my opinion this book surpasses them all. It's the artwork. The artist has found the perfect balance of detail and clarity. Some of these illustrations have to be seen to be believed. Especially those relating to the circulatory system. The book also cuts down on superfluous text, providing the most relevant information. The pearls of clinical information are very good and these add significance to the information and make it easier to remember -- Easier to remember is key.

Great job to whoever was involved in making this invaluable resource!

What is in the book: This is a stand-alone atlas of Human Gross Anatomy. The pictures are all painted drawings, with some clinical images mixed in (CT/MRI). These images are scattered throughout the book at strategic places and highly complement the material being presented. It is actually a translation (and possibly relabeling) of a German anatomy atlas. The images are top-rate and finely detailed. It is hands down one of the best atlases I have seen. I was trained on the Netter series, and I like this one much better. I especially like that this book includes tract diagrams for the neuroanatomy section, something often missing from anatomy atlases. Even though the pictures are drawings as opposed to photographs, I feel that learning anatomy on idealized drawings is better than from pictures, where you are relying on the care of the prosection and the quality of the specimen to show the various structures and relations. Skilled drawings are much better for learning, and this book has those.

What it isn't: This is not a textbook! This book is an atlas, so do not expect text explanations. If you are looking for a good anatomy textbook, I would try Moore and Dalley's "Clinically Oriented Anatomy".

The weaknesses (why it earned only 4 stars): One of the weak points in the book is the labeling of structures. Focusing on the neuroanatomy section, which is my particular specialty, some of the labels mix terms or use archaic terms not commonly used anymore. For example, when labeling the brainstem, the different parts of the brainstem in the same figure are labeled with a mix of developmental and structural terms (for example: the midbrain is labeled by its developmental name, the mesencephalon, but the medulla is labeled the medulla oblongata. The developmental term for the medulla is the myelencephalon). Also, sometimes the spinal cord is labeled the "cord" and others it is the "spinal cord". When a student is learning anatomy for the first time, it is important for consistency in labeling or, if you are going to mix terms, make it clear what those terms are. Someone just learning anatomy may not realize that the midbrain and the mesencephalon are the same structure. Also, refraining from using more obscure labels is preferred. However, for someone who already knows anatomy and can easily pick out these differences, the atlas is top rate.


My qualifications: I am a Professor who has been teaching first year medical students at an Ivy League school and a state school for over 14 years and I have published several textbook. I am constantly on the lookout for good atlases, especially for Neuroanatomy.

For the last two years I have been using this atlas to teach advanced human anatomy with an emphasis on structures in the head and neck. What attracted me to this particular atlas was the obvious quality of the figures--in short, they are excellent. I find them highly accurate in shape, texture, scale, labeling (Terminologia Anatomica), and often even with respect to the colors observed during surgical dissections. The figures typically provide multiple perspectives of a structure or region in a consistent and well-organized manner. I find this atlas especially useful when teaching difficult concepts, e.g. where an appreciation of adjacent structures is necessary to grasp the clinical importance of a region such as the pterygopalatine fossa or the triangles of the neck. At times my students find the detail provided in the figures overwhelming and distracting. As an instructor, this detail provides pretty much everything I could want and therefore gives me the flexibility to emphasize the specific details of importance for my class. I do find that the simplified schematic figures of Gray's Anatomy for Students are sometimes preferred by me and my students to achieve some of my teaching objectives.

If there is a weakness, it is the minimal text that accompanies the graphics. I realize that this is an atlas and as such, it is not intended to be a comprehensive textbook on human anatomy. There is some text and a few summary tables included in this atlas and those are well done, but it is the paucity of text that is the most common complaint from my students. As an instructor, this is sometimes a benefit; I have the flexibility to provide my own context and perspective for my students. Nevertheless, my students, complain that they have very little additional useful information from the publisher to help guide them through and make best use of the excellent figures. If there were a way to make this book better and more useful, it would be to provide additional text that is befitting the quality of the outstanding graphics.

I'm in my second year of med school and I've spent time with Grant's, Netter's and Gilroy's anatomy atlases. If I could do it over again, I would definitely spend ALL my time with Gilroy's. At Northwestern, anatomy is integrated over the entire first year, so there was plenty of time for me to use each one. I spent the first half of the year switching between Netter's and Grant's, but didn't get what I needed from either one. When I discovered the Gilroy's atlas, it was a revelation. I've never loved a medical school book like this before and I don't know what I'd do without it!

Here's why this atlas is at the front of the pack. First, it was written as a tool for learning anatomical relationships, not as a surgeon's reference. As a student, you can "read" a chapter and the book will help you build an understanding of the body. It helps you have those "aaaaahhh. that makes sense." moments. When I used Netter's and Grant's I felt like I had to have a question in mind before consulting the atlas, for fear of getting lost. Gilroy's teaches you, letting you spend more time learning and less time flipping through pages. Second, the atlas integrates wonderful tables of all the arteries, nerves and muscle connections that you need to know. Don't waste time on your laptop making tables - it's in this book! Third, the clinical correlations are great, really helping you start to make connections between pathophysiology and anatomy. Finally, the illustrations are really easy on the eyes... Actually, they're gorgeous and you might actually enjoy studying from this book.

I know it is ridiculous for one med student to own three anatomy atlases (four if you include the Rohen photography atlas), but learn from my experience and get this book. You won't regret it.

First impression: WOW.
Every impression after that: WOW.

I never cease to be amazed by the amount of detail crammed into each and very illustration in this atlas. It's clear that Markus Voll and Karl Wesker must have labored for weeks upon years working on this book, and it shows.

The atlas has thousands of painstakingly created illustrations of the human body, from the beginnings of bones to the autonomic nervous system.

The definitions of each item are placed around the illustration, everything is easy to read and understand. There are also 17 surface anatomy questions throughout this book.

By registering at the Winking Skull website included in this anatomy book, there are offers to download information to an iPad, surveys to win t-shirts, and several competitions as well!

I realize this book is primarily for medical students or those conducting examinations/dissections, but as a layperson I found this book to be completely and utterly fascinating. I primarily ordered it to learn more about an upcoming surgery, and now I find myself perusing this atlas simply to admire the breathtaking artwork.

This work is far superior to the other atlases I used in the past, primarily Gray's and occasionally Grant's. I found this one to be much each easier to use and understand. The organization is designed to help you understand how each portion of the body being examined works down to the arteries, veins, nerves, and lymph nodes. The pictures of each of these areas are superb. I am not in the medical field but occasionally in my own legal practice I need to understand the workings of the body. I recently had a case where the plaintiff presented with a severe ankle injury due to a work-related industrial accident and this atlas allowed me to understand easily the extent of the injuries (broken bones, severed nerves) and how they related to each other and the rest of the body. Highly recommended as a reference work.

I love this atlas! It's very informative and has great illustrations. In fact, my instructor uses pictures directly from this atlas in his lectures because they're so awesome. I highly recommend it for health professionals and those interested in human anatomy.

This is the best anatomy atlas I've found! The drawings are EXCELLENT and show many features that can not be seen or demonstrated in a textbook or model. The feature I enjoy the most is the different views of the same object. This allows a better understanding. I also enjoy the website associated with the book as it allows quizzing and removal of terms which don't neccessarily need to be known. This atlas is definatly worth the price!! Thank you Thieme Anatomy!!

How can I say this? Netter is NOT better, Thieme is the best anatomy atlas. by far, hands down. Clearer pictures, more pictures, more realistic pictures. Structures broken up in ways that make sense and shown from every angle. Includes clinical correlations and summary charts of innervations and actions. That's about all there is to it. Just buy it. Thank you Thieme!!! Ok, now back to studying...:)