Customer Reviews

Atlas of Human Anatomy: With Netteranatomy.com, 4e (Netter Basic Science)

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a rather long review of the 3rd Edition.

Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy has been considered the standard against which other atlases are compared. It really needs no introduction, so i'll just speak of the pros and cons of this edition compared to other atlases as well as to previous editions.

---Pros compared to other Atlases---

1. Drawings are in vivid "unrealistic" colors. This is in contrast to Grant's atlas, which takes a more "life-like" color scheme. I call this a pro for Netter because it improves contrast and greatly helps in finding and remembering the location of structures. McMinn's is a photographic atlas of dissections, which is great for the lab, but does not nearly cover the content that Netter does. I also find photographs harder to study from.

2. This is first and foremost, an Atlas. There are about 600 pages crammed with drawings. There is virtually no text apart from the labels. The illustrations are generally better, clearer, larger, higher quality, and more plentiful (showing many sections of the same area) than other atlases.

3. Labels galore. Initially some pages may seem intimidating because of the enourmous amount of labelling, but once you get used to it- it's really much better than not enough labels (ie. Grant's). Example: Much easier to find "Pharyngeal Recess" in Netter than Grant's.

---Cons as compared to other Atlases---

1. Expensive. Well, you get what you pay for. It's also gotten more expensive lately for this 3rd edition, very unfortunate. ICON publishing may have raised the price after they took over from Novartis.

2. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to carry two anatomy books: one for text and one for pictures. Grant's is better in this regard as it has "just enough" text to explain the drawings. As I said above, Netter doesn't

---Compared to Previous Editions---

A couple things are new in this edition. And only a couple.

1. About 8 surface anatomy plates at the start of every section done by a different artist. They're okay. Clearly can't replace a dedicated surface anatomy book.

2. New Xray, CT, MRI, etc. plates showing normal radiographic appearance. They're okay I guess, but really useless if you have a dedicated radiology text/atlas, or even if you use some websites.

3. Some labels and drawings were corrected to reflect current knowledge. The index has been significantly improved and expanded.

4. New version 3.0 Interactive Atlas of Human Anatomy CDROM. Thank god. Finally they've left the medieval times and adopted 1024x768 res and higher quality pictures. Version 2.0 CD had an absurd and useless 640x480. This CDROM is now natively MAC/PC compatible, finally! (btw. Macs rock)

---Three Options---

It comes in 3 formats:

1. Soft-cover only. ISBN 1929007116 ($68.95)

2. Student Combo ISBN 1929007159 ($99.95): Soft-cover + _STUDENT_ edition of v3.0 Interactive Atlas of Human Anatomy. There is a mistake on Amazon.com in this listing: The student-combo is NOT hardcover. I confirmed this with ICON Publishing and have reported it to Amazon.

3. Hard-cover + v3.0 Interactive Atlas of Human Anatomy ISBN 1929007213 ($129.95) I thought the Student CD-ROM would be a cut-down version of the full thing. It is NOT. The Student version is the full v3.0 PLUS 250 case-based USMLE style questions and Clinical Correlates. The CD-ROM is clearly improved over the previous versions, but owners of the book may not find any additional benefit as it is almost a straight rip from the book.

Please note. The hardcover and the CD-ROM are not available for individual purchase. They are only available in the 3 options listed above.

---Conclusion---

Owners of the 2nd edition won't find much new in this version. The hefty price is definately not worth an upgrade. However, for first time atlas buyers - this is clearly still the gold standard. I recommend buying the $99 Student Combo version w/ v3.0 Student CD-Rom if you can afford it (since you can't buy the CD-ROM separately later), otherwise go with the Atlas alone. The hard-cover is way too pricey for most students, and the exclusion of the USMLE questions further indicates that it's being marketed as a "Collectors Item" for graduates.

Cheers.

Frank Netter's atlas compiles his paintings of every imaginable human body part, seen in various degrees of dissection, into one volume. Dr. Netter's talent for reproducing the facts of anatomy is exquisite and unquestionable. However, as one looks a little deeper, it becomes clear that Netter is in fact a guru of function as well. Nerves, outlined in an unearthly yellow, terminate on muscles they actually innervate. Tendinous insertions are always on the correct part of bony protuberances, and fiber direction is always carefully detailed. Any unusual functional variances, such as the dual sympathetic/parasympathetic function of Vidian's nerve, or such as the pulley effect on the trochlear nerve, are always painstakingly pointed out. Netter also excels in variation, presenting, for example, 11 normal variants of the cystic and hepatic ducts.

The alternatives are few and inadequate. Pernkopf is often cited as Netter's chief rival; his experimentation on living persons incarcerated in Nazi concentration camps forbids me from perusing his text, on ethical grounds. Grant's atlas is laughably inadequate by comparison, both in number and quality of the plates. And Gray's, the old standby, simply cannot measure up; Netter's bold colors and functional depictions are clearly superior.

Rohen and Yokochi, a photographic atlas, offers the advantage of being photographs of superb dissections, and therefore more like what one encounters in the anatomy lab. Some find it useful as a supplement to Netter's atlas. I also used Moore's textbook of anatomy; the plates, from Grant's atlas, are not so good, but the text can be used to expand and illuminate on the relevant plates in Netter's, and the text is well written and clear. I found it indispensible to read a little bit about what I was looking at, the night before an anatomy lab.

I have also lent my Netter to several artists (sculptors and painters,) all of whom found it to be quite useful.

If you have any interest in human anatomy, then, you need a copy of Netter today!

I have used the second edition of this beautiful atlas for several years. Now I have acquired a copy of the new, revised, and improved third edition published in 2003. It has not disappointed me. I highly recommend it.

The third edition is longer by at least 60 pages, and the pages devoted to each body region are now color-coded for quick access.

Each section devoted to a body region now begins with a surface anatomy plate. In addition, a significant number of normal radiographic images are included.

In the foreword, Consulting Editor John T. Hansen states the following:

"We balanced the addition of new surface and radiographic plates largely by eliminating several plates that contributed little to the quality of the [Second Edition]. Several plates from The Netter (formerly CIBA) Collection of Medical Illustrations were added and several plates were altered slightly to correct anatomical errors consistent with our current knowledge.... Finally, the References and the Index have been updated.

"The anatomical terminology is consistent throughout the Atlas and conforms to the International Anatomical Terminology (Terminologia Anatomica) approved in 1998 by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists. Common eponyms are retained parenthetically, and the leader lines and labels have been checked, and where necessary, corrected to ensure their accuracy."

I could not WAIT to get this book (3rd ed.) and when I did I was NOT disappointed! Since I am not a doctor, I am not concerned with comparing other features found in other atlases. I was and still am ONLY concerned with being able to find elusive muscles. This text does it. I agree that the binding of the softcover version is less than desirable, however the illustrations are phenomenal! I intend to use it in my quest for national certification, then as a client reference in my office. I feel the bright colors achieve distinction of different muscles, and I appreciate the various views of the same muscle. This helps to clarify the text we used in school ("Trail Guide to the Body" 2nd ed.). EXCELLENT lifetime investment!

This review is from the perspective of a first year medical student in Gross Anatomy. I own both Atlas of Human Anatomy: With Netteranatomy.com (Netter Basic Science) and Grant's Atlas of Anatomy, and what I've found is that they really cannot be compared. They are both 5 stars if you use them properly.

Grant's Atlas shines when it is in the dissection room with you. The drawings are more realistic, and more often than not muscles are reflected out of view rather than being omitted completely (Netter). While this is indeed more realistic and allows you to see more muscle relationships, it slows down studying because of the more complicated mess you see before you. Therefore, it's best used in the lab when that complicated mess is EXACTLY what you are seeing. In all fairness, there are little schematic drawings that simplify important muscle relationships. It also comes with a CD with the images from the book allows you to turn off the labels and quiz yourself. There are also about 100 USMLE style anatomy questions.

Netter's atlas shines for at home study away from your cadaver. It is more high-yield than Grant's atlas and makes for easier and faster learning. Grant, because of its thoroughness and more realistic perspective, can be a little bit of a chore to get through when cramming for a test. Netter said himself that he tried to find the balance between simplification and realism, and I personally think he did an outstanding job. I can study any of his diagrams and quickly see the most important relationships between muscles, arteries, veins, nerves, and bones. Ultimately, I would learn more using Grant's Atlas, but Netter is best when you are pushed for time. One thing I didn't like at first was that, unlike Grant's Atlas, Netter's doesn't have any text or tables. Then I found out that they were all on www.netteranatomy.com, which a pretty nice website that in my opinion give Netter's Atlas more value.

So, in short, Grant's atlas and Netter's atlas are both excellent. Each can stand on its own, but they really do compliment each other a lot for being direct competitors; Grant's is the best while dissecting, and Netter's is best for studying for exams and the USMLE.

EDIT: Also keep in mind cadaver atlases (Color Atlas of Anatomy: A Photographic Study of the Human Body (Color Atlas of Anatomy (Rohen)) and Atlas of Clinical Gross Anatomy) that could serve as a substitute for Grant's atlas, but not really for Netter's. I hear the Thieme Atlas of Anatomy, a three-part set, beats Netter's in "every" way, but I haven't used them.

I remembered that when we did dissections in the anatomy class throughout the anatomy classes of the 1st 2 years, one student per table (who do not want to touch the corpse) would be responsible to bring and hold the Netter for the entire lesson. Netter really helped us a lot! I have browsed many other anatomy atlas and have not yet found one that is better than Netter. Although some atlases contain real pictures, they are not as clear as that in Netter! I can say, "Netter + Moore" is the golden combination for anatomy!

When I studied neuroanatomy after finishing the anatomy, Netter still helped me a lot!

Netter rocks!

Rather than writing a repeat of all the reasons you should buy this text, which you can read from MANY other reviewers, I'd like to leave a comment or two of what you miss in Netter's and why you cannot use Netter's as a single-source reference.

First, I'm a 20-yr vet of semiconductor manufacturing engineering (MS Chem Eng), so I wasn't as mentally prepared for med school as much younger students seem to have been. But having said that, I needed and expected a lot detail, and I mean a lot of detail. Netter's, while providing a ton of detail in a magnificent artistic format, cannot provide every angle necessary to avoid confusion. This bit is easily solved using highly detailed photographs. For this reason alone, Netter's (or any other single text) should never be considered as a single-source reference. As an example of this problem, what may be interpreted as a small fossa, may not be as apparent to the student. This is a big deal. Second, muscle orgins and insertions, at least from my personal experience (and I know everyone is different), seems to be difficult to learn from Netter's. The same goes for nerve innervations and blood flow. I have found the detailed photographic texts to be far more useful to learn innervations over Netter's art work though nothing compares to actually being in the lab.

Conclusion: If you're having to learn Anatomy, then Netter's is a necessary tool. The interactive CD is a nice feature but not completely necessary though the $30 extra is probably worth the money. But realize that you must not use Netter's as a single-source reference. A careful review of the photographic anatomy texts (my personal favorite being McMinn's Color Atlas of Human Anatomy) WILL be of great use - these two different styles of text greatly complement one another, and hence your understanding of the subject. Skip the coloring books.

The content of the book is not suprisingly outstanding. However, the binding of the paperback is horrible. Pages started to loosen after just a week of normal use. Given the popularity of this book, one would think they would make a better binding. If you want the book to last, I guess you have to go with the hardcover.

You've got to have a Netter's Atlas on hand. You never know when you'll need it. Even if you are well out of medical school, well cocooned in your tight little sub-specialty, you still need Netter. You never know when your elderly neighbor is going to knock on your door and ask you precisely which muscle in her back hurts when she stands up, just to pick a random example.

But especially for learning the anatomy in the first place, both the structure and function, there is nothing that compares. The level of detail is astounding, the care and thought put into every illustration is staggering.

And you really should have the newest edition, edited in part by the great Dr. Hanson from the University of Rochester, with over 10,000 anatomical terms, and many illustrations now correlated with MRI images. You know what I did? I gave my old Netter's to my nephew and bought the new one. He's into science, has kid's books on anatomy. Why don't you do that? Give your old Netter's, cadaveric juice stains and all, to a young eager kid, be a little ceremonial about it, then get on Amazon and buy the newest edition. Then email me and say, "thanks, you were right about that."

It's a great book but after a while i got tired of it not having any text. I checked out Gray's Anatomy for Students at my library and I'm definitely going to purchase it soon, sadly ... I have sold this book already, if you're like me and need more than just visuals, get the best of both worlds with Gray's Anatomy for Students.