4. Hips and pelvis MRI, axial plane

The femoral artery is lateral to the femoral vein as they pass under the inguinal ligament. At this level the obturator internus has a large muscle belly that courses posteriorly around the ischium and then towards its insertion (with the gemelli muscles) in the trochanteric fossa. The sciatic nerve descends posterior to the obturator internus muscle and is deep to the gluteus maximus muscle at the level of the greater trochanter.