A great part of this issue SRA 2018-09 is devoted to articles related to hand surgery and anatomy.

The anatomy of extensor tendons is studied about fetuses and through the actual depiction in medical imaging with MRI and ultrasonography. The fibrous patterns that surround the tendons in the hand are valuable aspects of anatomical basis of pathologies and therapeutic procedures, and the mechanical roles of flexors pulleys and extensor compartments need to be explained, respectively.

Clinical and applied anatomy leads to studies in the field of hand surgery, which are numerous and various, and can deal with tendons, bones and joints, vessels, and nerves, with a large part of submitted manuscripts devoted to anatomical variations. The surgery of the hand and by extension of the forearm and elbow still has to face many challenges. It is, therefore, essential that anatomical research progresses. Indeed, it is the latter that lays the experimental foundations, prior to the essential applied clinical research.

The place of the laboratory of anatomy in surgical education and training for hand surgery is of high importance. The high-level hyperspecialization of hand surgeons requires an appropriate knowledge in anatomy, and specific training sessions for residents, fellows, and practitioners. Hand trauma surgery needs the ability to face severe changes in anatomy and skills for repairing, and the post-graduate and continuous education (reconstructive surgery and flaps; mini-invasive procedures) remains the regular way for keeping the competence updated.

The medical imaging has been constantly improved, for a better depiction of the anatomical structures of the hand. As it is generally the case in the field of musculoskeletal imaging, computed tomography (CT) scan remains particularly suited to the demonstration of bony anatomy thanks to its spatial resolution, while magnetic resonance imaging is the most appropriate modality for the soft tissues, due to its contrast resolution. Since its recent technical advances, ultrasonography, and particularly mobile ultrasonography, has become an extremely practical tool, allowing diagnosis, sometimes guiding procedures, and even treatment of various soft-tissue disorders of the hand and wrist. In addition, in particular cases, area-detector CT (ADCT) can be useful by allowing dynamic acquisitions of joint movements.