Spitalfields knees study--a photographic challenge

This paper reports a study into human lower limb anatomy based on the Spitalfields collection of human skeletons at the Natural History Museum, London. The objective was to document knee alignment in a range of rotations, and also to define the topography of the knee surfaces. The work was a collaborative between the Medical Illustration department and the orthopaedic surgical team. This project involved photographic challenges that required development of versatile techniques in order to generate credible scientific data. The results have produced a valuable and unique record not previously available. It demonstrates the key role medical photography offers in this type of investigation.