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The nervous system is divided topographically into two parts: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. From a functional perspective, however, the two systems are intimately connected and function in an integrated and coordinated manner. The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord, while the peripheral nervous system is made up of the cranial and peripheral nerves and associated neurological structures. This article presents a broad and general overview of the structure and organization of the nervous system emphasizing several important functional features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bony pelvis is an irregular but complete bony ring made up of the right and left hip bones anterolaterally and the sacrococcygeal part of the vertebral column posteriorly. The two hip bones are firmly united anteriorly at the pubic symphysis, and together constitute the pelvic girdle. The pelvic girdle articulates with the femoral heads and thereby connects the vertebral column (axial skeleton) to the two femora (appendicular skeleton). The main functions of the pelvic girdle are to transmit weight from the upper body to the lower limbs during locomotion and while standing, and to support the weight of the upper body when seated or stationary. Another important function of the bony pelvis is to provide attachment for the powerful muscles (e.g. gluteal muscles) that act on the lower limb and those muscles that support the abdominal wall. The bony pelvis also provides ample protection to the many delicate viscera, vessels and nerves that lie within the pelvic cavity. Successful orthopaedic management of disruptions of the bony pelvis and management of associated injuries to intrapelvic viscera require a sound appreciation of the anatomy of the pelvic ring and pelvic cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertebral column (spinal column, spine, or backbone) forms the central axis of the body's skeleton. It supports the skull superiorly and participates in the formation of the pelvis inferiorly. The vertebral column comprises the following five regions in cephalocaudal sequence: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal. The vertebral column contains the spinal cord within the vertebral canal, protecting the spinal cord from external trauma. Optimal medical and surgical management of spinal disease is crucially dependent on accurate clinical and radiological diagnosis, which in turn are reliant on a sound understanding of the structural and functional anatomy of the vertebral column. In this article a general description of the articulated vertebral column is followed by a description of the morphology of representative vertebrae from the vertebral regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a concise description of the applied topographical anatomy of the heart, emphasizing those aspects of cardiac functional anatomy that are essential to clinical cardiac examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in technology have led to significant developments in techniques for imaging the abdominal and pelvic organs, in both the elective and emergency surgical settings. Improvements in the quality and availability of imaging has had a profound effect on the delivery of high-quality surgical care and has improved outcomes by providing accurate preoperative diagnosis and staging, leading to a reduction in exploratory and futile operations, while permitting better planned precision surgery and a growing range of interventional radiology procedures. This article will describe the essential anatomical interpretation of the common radiological imaging techniques relevant to the abdomen and pelvis and describe the rationale for selection of the most appropriate imaging modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]