Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice

"that's new edition (39ª) is diferent of the 37ª. in this new edition the anatomy is broached in chapters of topografical anatomy and not sistemic anatomy. Topografical anatomy is most interesting for a medicine. "
~ Written on 2008-03-27

"The 39th edition of Gray's Anatomy covers all aspects of human anatomy as well as integrating a comprehensive amount of additional information including histology, embryology, physiology, and pathology. Put together by renowned scientists and clinicians, this iconic book is a must for any medical student. This book is IT!"
~ Written on 2008-02-11

"i bought a used copy and its such a big book that its spine does take a beating and its worth getting it new and with the dvd and the subscription. if your gonna use all the resources its so worth it, but the book is well laid out and easy to use, the pictures are well done and the text is well easily scanable for fast reading"
~ Written on 2007-09-10

"This is an AMAZING book to say the least. I have to say, that this book is not for someone who is just starting in the medical field, as it is written in complex medical terminology. However, if you are in the medical field, than this book is a great reference. Every section of the body is broken down to the most minute detail. And the illustrations/pictures are absolutely amazing; they make learning anatomy fun and a little easier. I have to give kudos to all the authors and illustrators of this text... well done! It's also good to do exercises with ;)"
~ Written on 2007-07-26

"Totally distinct from earlier editions is the radically different organization of this classical textbook: the human body is no longer described as containing different systems - the skeleton, the vascular system, the nervous system,...- but the body is now divided in regions. The reason for this radical change, chief editor Susan Standring (King's College, London) explains, is that in the real world, practising clinicians in their daily practice use a regional approach, rather than a systemic view. Therefore, it is understood that the new, 39th Edition of Gray's Anatomy is more adapted to the needs of surgeons, radiologists and other clinicians, than to medical students or scientists interested in the area of human anatomy. However, there is some consideration of the editors for a section `systemic overview'. So, the endocrine system, the blood (haematopoietic) and immune system are not entirely overlooked.

In particular, when regarding the master gland of the endocrine system, namely the pituitary, readers should know that this organ may be found in the `region' of the diencephalon (Section 2.1.). So, neuroanatomists may rejoice that they finally regained control over the capital region of the human body, and over all body functions regulated by this region. Unfortunately, unlike the 38th Edition, the editor of this section has decided to relapse into a terminology that was already obsolete 15 years ago. `Chromophobic' cells belong to the dark ages when new imaging techniques were still looming for their curious but ignorant discoverers. Bibliographic references are reduced to a baseline level. This would result in insufficient source material for research purposes, but, on the other hand, the references are concise enough for users that may feel comfortable with a general slowing down of scientific progress.

However, many, many advantages of the newly revised topics may be found in this 39th Edition. For those interested in the anatomy of the pelvic floor, the inner ear, or the organization of the peritoneum, Gray's Anatomy will meet their expectations. Also shortcuts to topics like assisted fertilization, preimplantation embryology are included, although it never has been easy being both at the cutting edge and also a textbook that bridges the generation gaps. Therefore, together with many, I will be looking forward to the 40th Edition.

Wilfried ALLAERTS
Biological Publishing A&O
The Netherlands
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~ Written on 2006-09-26