A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Gray’s Anatomy Tattoo

I’m talking about the book, not the television show. Although who knows if the show is helping the popularity of the book among non-doctors (I’m thinking so because when this was submitted it was spelled “Grey’s” which is the show)? Anyway, these are ribs, tattooed on the client’s ribcage, by Ceasar at Body Shop Tattoo in Glendale, CA.

By the way, if I’m completely off the mark and this is from the show credits or something, someone please say so in the comments.

Comments

6 responses to “Gray’s Anatomy Tattoo”

  1. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    The following comments were imported from our old comment system:

    Posted on 04-11-2006 20:17:57 by booborbutt
    is that a boob or a butt on the left?

    Posted on 04-11-2006 21:01:24 by petie
    i dont think there ribbs i think thats somones ass and its somthing to do with the sacral nerves or the equinas “i cant spell” nerve bunch.

    Posted on 04-11-2006 21:45:17 by catDevi
    I think it may be the bottom of the spine and tail bone. Maybe?

    Posted on 04-12-2006 03:39:49 by tokyowars
    Pregnant lady. You can see the stretchmarks near the top. That’s why it looks askew.

    Posted on 04-12-2006 03:40:06 by tokyowars
    maybe?

    Posted on 04-12-2006 11:27:59 by grawr
    That is most definitely a butt.

    Posted on 04-12-2006 12:04:40 by Lauren
    Well, I guess they’re not tattooed onto the ‘client’s ribcage’ then?

    Posted on 04-12-2006 12:44:17 by /
    i thought it was a pregnant woman too

    Posted on 04-12-2006 14:40:46 by devo
    those look more like the sacral plexus nerves…or brachial plexus…sacral makes m ore sense since it is by her leg. its the nerves that supply the legs. maybe im worg, its hard to tell by the photo

    Posted on 04-12-2006 17:24:07 by malroy
    stretchmarks happen on boobs too.

    Posted on 04-12-2006 19:20:32 by blah blah
    uh.. yeah. whoever said she’s pregnant because of the stretchmarks.. way to not be well-informed. Stretchmarks happen anytime to anyone who happens to grow or gain weight faster than the skin can stretch…

    Posted on 04-12-2006 19:24:29 by /
    it looks pregnant because of the curve on the right hand side which looks like it might be the curve of her back and the otherside might be her belly

    Posted on 04-13-2006 04:24:43 by hitonihi
    It’s not ribs, per se.. it’s the costal cartilage that connects the false ribs to the sternum.

    like in this picture

    Posted on 04-13-2006 04:39:21 by hitonihi
    Even better.. here’s the figure from Gray’s Anatomy.

    Posted on 04-13-2006 07:56:07 by tokyowars
    Yeah I was basing it on the way / described it…I certainly wasn’t saying that stretch marks=pregnant. I have stretch marks from fast muscle gain + loss…
    Though a second look makes me think a butt is more likely…

    Posted on 04-13-2006 11:42:25 by toto
    So someone got a tattoo of a rib cage diagram on their butt?

    Posted on 04-13-2006 23:30:00 by
    I was 13 when I bought my first copy of Gray’s Anatomy. I’m 25 now.

  2. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    The following comments were imported from our old comment system:

    Posted on 04-11-2006 20:17:57 by booborbutt
    is that a boob or a butt on the left?

    Posted on 04-11-2006 21:01:24 by petie
    i dont think there ribbs i think thats somones ass and its somthing to do with the sacral nerves or the equinas “i cant spell” nerve bunch.

    Posted on 04-11-2006 21:45:17 by catDevi
    I think it may be the bottom of the spine and tail bone. Maybe?

    Posted on 04-12-2006 03:39:49 by tokyowars
    Pregnant lady. You can see the stretchmarks near the top. That’s why it looks askew.

    Posted on 04-12-2006 03:40:06 by tokyowars
    maybe?

    Posted on 04-12-2006 11:27:59 by grawr
    That is most definitely a butt.

    Posted on 04-12-2006 12:04:40 by Lauren
    Well, I guess they’re not tattooed onto the ‘client’s ribcage’ then?

    Posted on 04-12-2006 12:44:17 by /
    i thought it was a pregnant woman too

    Posted on 04-12-2006 14:40:46 by devo
    those look more like the sacral plexus nerves…or brachial plexus…sacral makes m ore sense since it is by her leg. its the nerves that supply the legs. maybe im worg, its hard to tell by the photo

    Posted on 04-12-2006 17:24:07 by malroy
    stretchmarks happen on boobs too.

    Posted on 04-12-2006 19:20:32 by blah blah
    uh.. yeah. whoever said she’s pregnant because of the stretchmarks.. way to not be well-informed. Stretchmarks happen anytime to anyone who happens to grow or gain weight faster than the skin can stretch…

    Posted on 04-12-2006 19:24:29 by /
    it looks pregnant because of the curve on the right hand side which looks like it might be the curve of her back and the otherside might be her belly

    Posted on 04-13-2006 04:24:43 by hitonihi
    It’s not ribs, per se.. it’s the costal cartilage that connects the false ribs to the sternum.

    like in this picture

    Posted on 04-13-2006 04:39:21 by hitonihi
    Even better.. here’s the figure from Gray’s Anatomy.

    Posted on 04-13-2006 07:56:07 by tokyowars
    Yeah I was basing it on the way / described it…I certainly wasn’t saying that stretch marks=pregnant. I have stretch marks from fast muscle gain + loss…
    Though a second look makes me think a butt is more likely…

    Posted on 04-13-2006 11:42:25 by toto
    So someone got a tattoo of a rib cage diagram on their butt?

    Posted on 04-13-2006 23:30:00 by
    I was 13 when I bought my first copy of Gray’s Anatomy. I’m 25 now.

  3. Offset Avatar
    Offset

    Just came across this. I was the production manager for the current edition of Gray’s Anatomy (39th edition) http://www.graysanatomyonline.com and this illi doesn’t appear, so I guess it’s from one of our older editions or one of the facsimile editions. Look at the up-to-date edition and you’ll see a whole lot more and better illustration.

  4. Offset Avatar
    Offset

    Just came across this. I was the production manager for the current edition of Gray’s Anatomy (39th edition) http://www.graysanatomyonline.com and this illi doesn’t appear, so I guess it’s from one of our older editions or one of the facsimile editions. Look at the up-to-date edition and you’ll see a whole lot more and better illustration.

  5. D.O. Avatar
    D.O.

    Not only is this tattoo out of the correct anatomical position (the body part tattooed (which appears to be the right gluteus maximus) is CLEARLY not the anterior inferior right thorax), but the Gray’s image is as viewed from an approximately 20 degree angle left lateral the midline. And there is no such thing as the pectoralis max (perhaps major?), rectus abdominus has an R at the beginning, and the costal cartilage connects the 8th, 9th, and 10th ribs to the sternum, not to free space.

    Oh, I think I get it. It’s supposed to be an existential satire regarding decrepit medical science and future generations critique of the “days of olde”. I guess that means I’m the punchline! But good ol’ Henry Gray would be rightly offended if he saw privileged Americans using his imagery so ignorantly.

  6. D.O. Avatar
    D.O.

    Not only is this tattoo out of the correct anatomical position (the body part tattooed (which appears to be the right gluteus maximus) is CLEARLY not the anterior inferior right thorax), but the Gray’s image is as viewed from an approximately 20 degree angle left lateral the midline. And there is no such thing as the pectoralis max (perhaps major?), rectus abdominus has an R at the beginning, and the costal cartilage connects the 8th, 9th, and 10th ribs to the sternum, not to free space.

    Oh, I think I get it. It’s supposed to be an existential satire regarding decrepit medical science and future generations critique of the “days of olde”. I guess that means I’m the punchline! But good ol’ Henry Gray would be rightly offended if he saw privileged Americans using his imagery so ignorantly.

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