Brain Energetics and Neuronal Activity: Applications to fMRI and Medicine by Robert Shulman and Douglas L. Rothman, eds.
John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, 2004, $185
This book is an in-depth review of how functional neuroimaging studies can be used to interpret and explain brain energetics and function. To be frank, this title is not for radiologists at all, but for it MR neuro-physicists that create advanced MR imaging physics protocols.
The text is broken into four sections:
- Background
- Neuroenergetics and activity
- Clinical beginnings
- Brain and mind
Within each section are chapters by various researchers that describe in vivo studies, and demonstrate the use of imaging techniques (in the animal model) in interpreting their findings.
The sections dealing with MR spectroscopy (MRS) and functional MRI (fMRI) are quite interesting from a purely scientific point of view. In vivo studies contribute to the ever- expanding knowledge of brain kinetics and physiology, but are not directly applicable to clinically encountered topics or disease processes. Information presented is only peripherally related to the every day practice of neuroradiology, even for those who conduct these advanced imaging studies.
The strength of Brain Energetics and Neuronal Activity lies in the high quality scientific data and the consistent formatting. But for some readers, the depth of information from a biophysical and biochemical perspective may be overwhelming. The figures presented in the studies mainly consist of graphs that explain the experimental data and are somewhat intimidating.
I would hesitate to recommend Brain Energetics and Neuronal Activity to a general radiologist or neuroradiologist because of its heavy scientific bias and lack of useful clinical information. For clinicians who have a biophysics background, it may be worth a read.
Instead, I would recommend this book as a reference for those in the academic field who work closely with MR physicists, or perform studies on neuroenergetics. It would also be fitting for neuroscientists who would like to gain a further knowledge of applications of functional imaging.
By Dr. Brian J. FortmanAuntMinnie.com contributing writer
May 24, 2006
Dr. Fortman is a neuroimaging specialist at Carolina Radiology Associates in Myrtle Beach, SC.
The opinions expressed in this review are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of AuntMinnie.com.
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