Which landmark is the prominent anterior projection on the pelvis used as a surface marker?

• A. Iliac Crest
• B. Pelvic Inlet
• C. ASIS
• D. PIIS

Answer: (C)

The anterior superior iliac spine is the prominent anterior projection used as a surface landmark. It’s a noticeable bump you can feel on the front of the pelvis just below the belt line, making it an easily palpable and reliable reference point. Clinically, this landmark helps orient the pelvis in exams and radiographs because many views rely on knowing the pelvis’s anterior aspect; it also serves as the attachment site for the inguinal ligament and the sartorius muscle, underscoring why it’s so consistently palpable. The other features aren’t anterior surface markers: the iliac crest is the top border of the ilium, the pelvic inlet is a boundary inside the pelvic brim, and the PIIS is located on the posterior aspect.