Cardiac Imaging: Case Review Series by Gauthan P. Reddy and Robert M. Steiner
Elsevier Science, St. Louis, 2006, $44.95
This needed addition to the Case Review Series fills the gap between the thoracic imaging and the vascular and interventional imaging volumes. Its focus is plain-film, CT, and, MRI evaluation of primarily cardiac and great vessel abnormalities.
In his foreword, Series editor Dr. David Yousem nicely summarized why this is an important subspecialty for imaging to master: "Radiologists must become well versed in this anatomy or they may see this technique vanish before their eyes into the cardiologists’ sphere of influence."
Overall, Cardiac Imaging offers a useful introduction to heart diseases. Topics such as congenital cardiac, congenital coronary, connective tissue, and inflammatory conditions should whet the reader's appetite.
The book covers all cardiac modalities in a balanced way so that no single modality receives undue attention. References to The Requisites series, as well as journal articles, for each case are a definite strength. The repetition of major teaching points -- such as Type A versus B dissection; sites of traumatic aortic injury; and characteristics of false and true aneurysms -- is a second major strength, especially for people studying for the boards.
Unfortunately, Cardiac Imaging does fall short in many areas. A serious weakness is the exclusion of nuclear, echocardiography, and catheter angiography images. Familiarity with these techniques, and their inherent advantages and disadvantages, is imperative if radiology is going to assist internal medicine and cardiology colleagues with diagnosis and management of cardiac diseases. Cases that present basic long- and short-axis echo views of the heart; coronary anatomy by catheter angiography; and nuclear as well as MR data for viability should have been included.
This installment, like others in the series, would benefit greatly from larger images and more didactic discussion in the comments section. Hopefully, future editions of Cardiac Imaging: Case Review Series will expand to include all cardiac imaging modalities.
By Dr. Danny DonovanAuntMinnie.com contributing writer
March 30, 2006
Dr. Donovan is currently a fellow 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 © 2006 AuntMinnie.com
