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Iliac fossa

Bone: Iliac fossa

Right hip bone. Internal surface. (Iliac fossa visible at upper left.)

Pelvic girdle. (Region of iliac fossa visible at tip of arrow pointing from the word "Ilium".)
Latin	fossa iliaca
Gray's	subject #57 234
Dorlands/Elsevier	f_14/12376041

The iliac fossa is a large, smooth, concave surface on the internal surface of the ilium (part of the hip bone). The fossa is bounded above by the crest, and below by the arcuate line; in front and behind, by the anterior and posterior borders.

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The fossa gives origin to the Iliacus muscle and is perforated at its inner part by a nutrient canal; below this there is a smooth, rounded border, the arcuate line, which runs anterior, inferior, and medial.

Additional images

v • d • e Bones of pelvis/pelvic cavity
General	sacrum, coccyx, hip bone
Ilium	Body (Arcuate line) Wing: gluteal lines (Posterior, Anterior, Inferior) - Fossa - iliac spines (Anterior superior, Anterior inferior, Posterior superior, Posterior inferior) - Crest - Tuberosity
Ischium	Body (Ischial spine, Lesser sciatic notch) - Superior ramus (Tuberosity of the ischium) - Inferior ramus
Pubis	Body - Superior ramus (Pubic tubercle, Pubic crest, Obturator crest) - Inferior ramus (Pectineal line)
Compound	Acetabulum (Acetabular notch) - Iliopubic eminence/Iliopectineal line - Linea terminalis - Ischiopubic ramus/Pubic arch Obturator foramen - Greater sciatic foramen/Greater sciatic notch - Lesser sciatic foramen Lesser pelvis (Pelvic inlet, Pelvic brim, Pelvic outlet) - Greater pelvis