Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2000, $99 each
The preface to this teaching files series states: "This volume is dedicated to (our) neuroses, which results in our writing books when we could be playing golf or going fishing." Having recently finished fellowship training in a large academic center, I can relate to that kind of neurosis. Ironically, I now live in Myrtle Beach, SC, the self-proclaimed golf capitol of the world, and I reviewed these books while on a fishing vacation in Key West, FL.
It is texts such as these that keep medical training innovative, current, and enjoyable. As neuroradiology is a discipline mastered by those that have "seen" the most, I have always been a fan of teaching file-based books. They serve as an efficient way to learn quickly and gain experience.
As with the other books in this series, each volume centers on 100 unknown cases. A brief history and description of findings accompany the high quality images. The diagnosis is followed by a thorough discussion and selected readings on each topic.
The discussions touch on the important issues and standard classic teaching points that often come up while reading out cases at the view box or workstation. Technical points are presented where applicable, but kept to a minimum; information is predominantly limited to clinical details and imaging appearance. Relatively new modalities, such as diffusion imaging and MR spectroscopy, are briefly touched on when relevant.
The degree of difficulty is suited for a junior-to-mid-level radiology resident. The variety of pathology is diverse and random, which is helpful for self-assessment purposes. Cases include vascular disease, neoplasia, infection and inflammation, congenital anomalies, and toxic/metabolic insult. The images presented are generally a fair representation of classic findings.
One criticism is that many cases are similar or repeated between the two volumes. For example, multiple cases of meningiomas and pituitary macroadenomas are shown and the discussions are virtually the same. In another instance, two virtually identical cases of pial siderosis are presented in each volume. Perhaps this kind of overlap is inevitable when different individuals contribute cases, but in a field as diverse as neuroradiology, 200 unique cases should not be an unrealistic goal.
Also more on clinical management and therapeutic options would have added depth to the discussions. Questions regarding clinical management are often asked at the oral radiology board examination, and a general knowledge of therapy is helpful when working with referring clinicians.
Overall, the two volumes familiarize the reader with a number of commonly encountered disease processes. Junior level residents on a neuroradiology rotation, and senior residents preparing for the oral boards, would gain the most from this teaching series.
By Dr. Brian J. FortmanAuntMinnie.com contributing writer
November 11, 2002
Dr. Fortman is a neuroimaging specialist at Carolina Radiology Associates, in Myrtle Beach, SC. He recently completed a neuroradiology fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
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