Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 1999, $89.
Originally conceived as a study guide for the American Board of Radiology certification exam, this outline-style textbook is designed for those with some degree of familiarity with the practice of radiology.
The chapters begin with descriptions of radiological patterns and differential diagnosis lists. There is extensive use of mnemonics and lists of specific anatomic sites, with the pathologic processes that occur there.
The text is organized in an outline format that focuses on the dense presentation of information rather than highlights of radiographic illustrations. In fact, the text contains only simple line drawings rather than radiologic images. Despite the conservative use of space, the manual has expanded to 952 pages (compared to 880 pages for the 3rd edition).
Other changes to the Radiology Review Manual include:
- Additional drawings.
- Improved quality of the cover.
- Thinner book despite more pages.
- The Little Green Book. This 1,800-entry question-and-answer supplement can be obtained with the 4th edition of the manual (for an extra $45)
- Expanded text and increased number of line drawings notwithstanding, the price has not increased.
- The CD-ROM, introduced with the 3rd edition, is also available with this latest edition.
Although more line drawings have been incorporated into this edition, there’s still a paucity of illustrations, especially for such a visual specialty as radiology. Another weakness of the book is the lack of a complete bibliography, which limits the reader’s ability to reference the occasional questionable statements.
Still, the Radiology Review Manual continues to fulfill its goal of providing an informational guide to radiology trainees as well as practicing radiologists. The outline format lends itself to quick reference, and the index of terms should be easily accessible to the average reader. In the daily work environment, if radiology trainees or practicing radiologists were limited to a single reference text, most of them would probably choose this one.
By Dr. Douglas P. BeallAuntMinnie.com contributing writer
Dr. Beall is a fellow specializing in musculoskeletal and sports medicine imaging at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
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