Color Atlas of Skeletal landmark definitions. Guidelines for reproducible manual and virtual palpations.

This book defines the location of anatomic landmarks by means of two palpation protocols: manual palpation, which allows spatial location of landmarks using hands combined or not with threedimensional (3D) digitizing, and virtual palpation on 3D computer models obtained, for example, from medical imaging. These protocols can be used independently or in combination. Manual palpation is used clinically for variouspurposes:• Identification of painful areas• Positioning of particular pieces of equipment (electromyographyelectrodes, auscultation, externallandmarks used in clinical motion analysis or bodysurface scanning)• Measurement of morphologic parameters – forexample, limb length.Virtual palpation alone is useful to quantify individualmorphologic parameters from medical imaging:• Limb length• Limb orientation• Joint angle• Distance between various skeletal locations.The use of standardized definitions for the above activities allows better comparison and exchange of results (Van Sint Jan & Della Croce 2005); this is a key element for patient follow-up or for the elaboration of quality clinical and research databases. This book offers the reader accurate skeletal landmark definitions to help the above goals to be achieved with greater precision and reproducibility.Traduction de ce livre: o En Japonais (2008). o En Coréen (2009).