PocketRadiologist:
Gynecology: Top 100 Diagnoses by Hedvig Hricak, Caroline Reinhold and Susan M Ascher
ElsevierScience, St. Louis, 2003, $62.95
The newest edition to the popular PocketRadiologist series is well developed, efficiently presenting relevant diagnostic, clinical, and pathologic information on major gynecologic disorders. This book will prove useful to residents studying for exams, as well as to practicing clinicians.
Diagnoses are divided into sections describing neoplasms (48 diagnoses!), metastasis, treatment-related lesions, inflammation, and infection, to name a few. Although the divisions are somewhat arbitrary, it is easy to use either the table of contents or the index to refer to appropriate sections of the book.
This portable book wisely follows the same format as other titles in the PocketRadiologist series, with sections on "Key Facts," "Imaging Findings," "Differential Diagnosis," "Pathology," and "Clinical Issues."
The definitions and etiologies presented in "Key Facts" are particularly useful for review during board preparation. The "Imaging Findings" section is conveniently subdivided into the most useful modalities: transabdominal ultrasound, transvaginal ultrasound, hysterosalpingography, and MRI. Further information can easily be found in the references at the end of each section. This compensates for the fact that this book is not a descriptive textbook.
There is a definite and appropriate emphasis on pelvic neoplasms and their accurate staging. Endometrial, cervical, and ovarian cancers each benefit from a description of three or more diagnoses, and the additional explanation underscores the finer points of imaging these tumors and their FIGO staging.
For example, there are separate sections on cervical cancer, cervical cancer stage IB, cervical cancer stage IIB, and recurrent cervical cancer. Although some information presented in these sections is redundant, it does foster familiarity with this important material.
The format and size of the book do make for some weaknesses. While the images are of good quality, they are small (2.5 inch squares). Many diagnoses are illustrated by "full color anatomic-pathologic computer graphics models" that I find cartoonish. The addition of TNM staging nomenclature, although defined to correspond to the FIGO staging system, would be welcome and more up to date.
By Dr. Danny DonovanAuntMinnie.com contributing writer
August 27, 2004
Dr. Danny Donovan, is a 4th year resident in diagnostic radiology at the University of Tennessee/Methodist University Hospital in Memphis. He has accepted a fellowship in cardiovascular imaging at Stanford University in Stanford, CA.
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
