Acetabulum
The structure indicated is the
acetabulum of the pelvis.
The
acetabulum is formed from the point joining the three bones of the pelvis (
ilium, ischium and pubis), and is the site of articulation with the
head of the femur. The
femoroacetabular articulation is known as the
hip joint.
The acetabulum consists of
two parts:
- Articular part
- Non-articular part
The non-articular part consists of the
acetabular fossa and the
acetabular notch inferiorly. The
ligamentum teres attaches at one end to the acetabular notch, and at the other end to the
fovea capitis of the femur. The
articular part forms a rim surrounding the
acetabular fossa, serving as a point of attachment for the
acetabular labrum. This labrum is a ring of cartilage which functions to
deepen the cavity of the acetabulum, stabilising the hip joint and making it structurally more difficult for the head of the femur to dislodge from its acetabular articulation.
Learn more about the
hip joint,
pelvis and
femur in these anatomy tutorials.
