Gynecomastia Illustrations for Publication
Industry: Medical research
Client type: Surgeon / textbook author
Purpose: Medical textbook
Deliverables: Series of anatomical landmark illustrations for gynecomastia surgical reference
Year: 2023
Project Description
A plastic and reconstructive surgeon required anatomical reference illustrations for a surgical textbook chapter on gynecomastia, depicting the key surface and underlying landmarks relevant to preoperative assessment and surgical planning.
Gynecomastia, the enlargement of glandular breast tissue in males, is addressed through a range of surgical approaches depending on the grade of the condition and the extent of tissue and skin excess. Preoperative planning requires accurate assessment of several anatomical reference points: the sternal notch, chest midline, nipple-areola complex (NAC) position relative to the inframammary fold and pectoralis major border, and the bony landmarks of the chest wall including rib levels and the midaxillary line.
The purpose of these illustrations was to orient the reader to the anatomical landscape of the chest wall as it relates to gynecomastia presentation and surgical planning, serving as reference images a surgeon or surgical trainee could consult alongside the chapter text.
Our Solution
Kryski Biomedia produced two anatomical landmark illustrations developed to the accuracy standards required for plastic surgery education publishing.
The first illustration depicts the anterior chest in a three-quarter view, identifying the sternal notch, chest midline, soft tissue excess, existing NAC position, lateral border of the pectoralis major, and inframammary fold: the primary surface landmarks used in preoperative assessment.
The second illustration depicts the same view with the superficial soft tissue rendered to show the underlying chest wall skeleton, identifying the sternum, second and sixth rib levels, and the midaxillary line: the bony reference framework used to contextualise surgical planning.
Both illustrations were developed with a realistic surface rendering style, using anatomical accuracy and clear labelling to ensure each landmark was immediately identifiable. The level of anatomical detail was calibrated for a specialist surgical readership while remaining clear enough to serve as a teaching reference.
Why anatomical landmark illustration requires specialist training
Landmark illustrations for surgical textbooks are read by surgeons and surgical trainees who will use them as reference material in a clinical context. Errors in landmark positioning, anatomical relationships, or surface rendering are not abstract; they have direct implications for how a reader internalises the anatomy.
Medical illustrators trained in biomedical science bring the anatomical knowledge to develop these illustrations accurately and the visual craft to render them clearly. Kryski Biomedia holds both to the same standard on every publication project.
Services: Surgical Anatomy Illustration, Medical Textbook Graphics, Plastic Surgery Illustration
