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Iliac crest
 
 
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The crest of the ilium
Ilium (bone)

The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an ilium....
 (or iliac crest) is the superior border of the wing of ilium
Wing of ilium

The wing of ilium is the large expanded portion which bounds the greater pelvis laterally. It presents for examination two surfaces?an external and an internal?a crest, and two borders?an anterior and a posterior....
 and the superolateral margin of the greater pelvis
Greater pelvis

The greater pelvis is the expanded portion of the cavity situated above and in front of the pelvic brim.It is bounded on either side by the ilium ; in front it is incomplete, presenting a wide interval between the anterior borders of the ilium , which is filled up in the fresh state by the parietes of the abdomen; behind is a deep notch on...
. Palpable
Palpation

Palpation is used as part of a physical examination in which an object is felt to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location. Palpation should not be confused with palpitation, which is an awareness of the beating of the heart....
 in its entire length, it is convex in its general outline but is sinuously curved, being concave inward in front, concave outward behind.

s thinner at the center than at the extremities, and ends in the anterior
Anterior superior iliac spine

The anterior superior iliac spine is an important landmark of surface anatomy. It refers to the anterior extremity of the iliac crest of the pelvis, which provides attachment for the inguinal ligament and the sartorius muscle....
 and posterior superior iliac spine
Posterior superior iliac spine

The posterior border of the Ala , shorter than the anterior, also presents two projections separated by a notch, the posterior superior iliac spine and the posterior inferior iliac spine....
s.

The surface of the crest is broad, and divided into external and internal lips, and an intermediate line.

About 5 cm behind the anterior superior spine there is a prominent tubercle on the outer lip, the tubercle of iliac crest (tuberculum iliacum).

To the external lip are attached the Tensor fasciae latae
Tensor fasciae latae

The tensor fasciae latae or tensor fasci? lat? is a muscle of the thigh....
, Obliquus externus abdominis, and Latissimus dorsi
Latissimus dorsi muscle

The latissimus dorsi is the larger, flat, dorso-lateral muscle on the trunk, posterior to the arm, and partly covered by the trapezius on its median dorsal region....
, and along its whole length the fascia lata
Fascia lata

The fascia lata is the deep fascia of the thigh....
; to the intermediate line the Obliquus internus abdominis.

To the internal lip, the iliac fascia
Iliac fascia

The iliac fascia is a fascia in the Pelvis area of the human body.It has the following connections:* laterally, to the whole length of the inner lip of the iliac crest....
, the Transversus abdominis
Transversus abdominis muscle

The transversus abdominis muscle, also known as the transversalis muscle and transverse abdominal muscle, is a muscle layer of the anterior and lateral abdominal wall which is just deep to the internal oblique muscle....
, Quadratus lumborum
Quadratus lumborum muscle

The Quadratus lumborum is irregular and quadrilateral in shape, and broader below than above....
, Sacrospinalis, and Iliacus
Iliacus muscle

The Iliacus is a flat, triangular muscle, which fills the iliac fossa.It arises from the upper two-thirds of this fossa, and from the inner lip of the iliac crest; behind, from the anterior sacroiliac and the iliolumbar ligaments, and base of the sacrum; in front, it reaches as far as the anterior superior iliac spine and anterior inferior...
.

iliac crest has a large amount of red bone marrow
Bone marrow

Bone marrow is the flexible biological tissue found in the hollow interior of bones. In adults, marrow in large bones produces new blood cells....
, and thus it is the site of bone marrow harvests (from both sides) to collect the stem cells used in bone marrow transplantation.






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The crest of the ilium
Ilium (bone)

The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an ilium....
 (or iliac crest) is the superior border of the wing of ilium
Wing of ilium

The wing of ilium is the large expanded portion which bounds the greater pelvis laterally. It presents for examination two surfaces?an external and an internal?a crest, and two borders?an anterior and a posterior....
 and the superolateral margin of the greater pelvis
Greater pelvis

The greater pelvis is the expanded portion of the cavity situated above and in front of the pelvic brim.It is bounded on either side by the ilium ; in front it is incomplete, presenting a wide interval between the anterior borders of the ilium , which is filled up in the fresh state by the parietes of the abdomen; behind is a deep notch on...
. Palpable
Palpation

Palpation is used as part of a physical examination in which an object is felt to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location. Palpation should not be confused with palpitation, which is an awareness of the beating of the heart....
 in its entire length, it is convex in its general outline but is sinuously curved, being concave inward in front, concave outward behind.

Anatomy

It is thinner at the center than at the extremities, and ends in the anterior
Anterior superior iliac spine

The anterior superior iliac spine is an important landmark of surface anatomy. It refers to the anterior extremity of the iliac crest of the pelvis, which provides attachment for the inguinal ligament and the sartorius muscle....
 and posterior superior iliac spine
Posterior superior iliac spine

The posterior border of the Ala , shorter than the anterior, also presents two projections separated by a notch, the posterior superior iliac spine and the posterior inferior iliac spine....
s.

The surface of the crest is broad, and divided into external and internal lips, and an intermediate line.

About 5 cm behind the anterior superior spine there is a prominent tubercle on the outer lip, the tubercle of iliac crest (tuberculum iliacum).

To the external lip are attached the Tensor fasciae latae
Tensor fasciae latae

The tensor fasciae latae or tensor fasci? lat? is a muscle of the thigh....
, Obliquus externus abdominis, and Latissimus dorsi
Latissimus dorsi muscle

The latissimus dorsi is the larger, flat, dorso-lateral muscle on the trunk, posterior to the arm, and partly covered by the trapezius on its median dorsal region....
, and along its whole length the fascia lata
Fascia lata

The fascia lata is the deep fascia of the thigh....
; to the intermediate line the Obliquus internus abdominis.

To the internal lip, the iliac fascia
Iliac fascia

The iliac fascia is a fascia in the Pelvis area of the human body.It has the following connections:* laterally, to the whole length of the inner lip of the iliac crest....
, the Transversus abdominis
Transversus abdominis muscle

The transversus abdominis muscle, also known as the transversalis muscle and transverse abdominal muscle, is a muscle layer of the anterior and lateral abdominal wall which is just deep to the internal oblique muscle....
, Quadratus lumborum
Quadratus lumborum muscle

The Quadratus lumborum is irregular and quadrilateral in shape, and broader below than above....
, Sacrospinalis, and Iliacus
Iliacus muscle

The Iliacus is a flat, triangular muscle, which fills the iliac fossa.It arises from the upper two-thirds of this fossa, and from the inner lip of the iliac crest; behind, from the anterior sacroiliac and the iliolumbar ligaments, and base of the sacrum; in front, it reaches as far as the anterior superior iliac spine and anterior inferior...
.

Clinical significance

The iliac crest has a large amount of red bone marrow
Bone marrow

Bone marrow is the flexible biological tissue found in the hollow interior of bones. In adults, marrow in large bones produces new blood cells....
, and thus it is the site of bone marrow harvests (from both sides) to collect the stem cells used in bone marrow transplantation. The top of the iliac crests also marks the level of the fourth lumbar vertebral body (L4), above or below which lumbar puncture
Lumbar puncture

In medicine, a lumbar puncture is a diagnostic and at times therapeutic procedure that is performed in order to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid for biochemistry, microbiology, and cytology analysis, or occasionally as a treatment to relieve increased intracranial pressure....
 may be performed.

Additional images


See also

  • Apollo's belt
    Apollo's belt

    The iliac furrow, also known as Apollo's Belt or an Adonis belt, is a term for a part of the human anatomy. It refers to either one of two shallow grooves of the surface anatomy of the human abdomen running from the iliac crest to the pubis....
  • Hip pointer
    Hip pointer

    A hip pointer is a contusion on the pelvis caused by a direct blow to an iliac crest. Contact sports are a frequent cause of this type of injury....


External links

- "Superficial muscles of the gluteal region and posterior thigh." - "The Back, Posterior View" (#4)