This book is well organized, with careful attention is paid to malignancies such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and inflammatory breast cancer.
PocketRadiologist:
Breast: Top 100 Diagnoses by Robyn L. Birdwell, Elizabeth A. Morris, Shih-chang Wang, and Brett T. Parkinson
Elsevier Science, St. Louis, 2002, soft-cover, $49.95; PDA software, $69.95.
This is a concentrated but very readable book, perfect for every pocket. It’s well organized in nine chapters, starting with a very good discussion of BIRADS classification (masses, calcifications), special cases, and associated findings.
The next seven chapters comprehensively cover every aspect of diagnosis, including key facts, clinical issues, differential diagnosis, and pathology. The imaging findings cover mammography, ultrasound (including power Doppler), MRI, and lymphoscintigraphy. The importance of the xerogram for revealing the chest wall is clearly illustrated.
Pathology is addressed in three subtitles (general, gross pathologic-surgical features, and microscopic features). Clinical issues touch on presentation, natural history, treatment, and prognosis. There are three selected references for every diagnosis.
The section on benign lesions discusses common findings (fibroadenoma), and less frequent ones, such as extra-abdominal desmoid. There is a beautiful drawing about "milk lines."
Careful attention is paid to malignancies such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and inflammatory breast cancer. The authors clearly state that increased recall rate for detecting interval cancers is not always economically sound.
Other topics that are nicely outlined include male breast cancer, post-operative benign lesions (implant rupture), and post-op cancer (recurrent carcinoma, seromas and scars). There is a wonderful chapter on hormone changes, hormone replacement therapy, and pregnancy.
The final chapter clearly details biopsy procedures, from fine needle aspiration to ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, assessing common problems and complications.
There are two minor negatives to this title. First, information on diabetic mastopathy is redundant, as it’s described independently and in a section on systemic diseases. Also, information on the absence of E- cadherin in lobular cancer is rather confusing.
Overall, the quality of drawings and illustrations in PocketRadiologist:
Breast: Top 100 Diagnoses is excellent; the explanations are clear; and the amount of diagnostic information is surprisingly high.
By Dr. Ana Roxana CovaliAuntMinnie.com contributing writer
January 27, 2004
Dr. Covali serves as a junior radiologist at the Elena Doamna Obstetrics and Gynecology University Hospital in Iasi, Romania. She also is a teaching assistant in the histology department at Gr. T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi. Dr. Covali is currently pursuing a PhD in histology at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest.
The opinions expressed in this review are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of AuntMinnie.com.
Copyright © 2004 AuntMinnie.com
