AJR 2004; 183:1378
© American Roentgen Ray Society
Musculoskeletal Imaging: A Teaching File. By Felix S. Chew, Catherine Maldjian, and Susan G. Leffler. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 644 pp., 1999. $159
Michael A. Bruno
Maricopa Medical Center
Phoenix, AZ 85002
Musculoskeletal Imaging: A Teaching File is part of a
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins series targeted to radiology residents and
other trainees. These volumes attempt to simulate the learning experience of
sitting at the viewbox with an expert mentor in each area (other volumes treat
thoracic imaging, nuclear medicine, CT and MRI of the abdomen, and obstetric
and gynecologic imaging).
Dr. Felix S. Chew, the lead author of the volume, is an internationally
known educator in musculoskeletal imaging and one of the most prolific authors
in his field. Although published in 1999, this has become a classic textbook
and adds to Dr. Chew's impressive bibliography of high-quality contributions
to radiology education. It certainly continues to meet its goal of providing a
meaningful learning opportunity for trainees. From the day that the text was
originally acquired for our departmental library at Penn State, it became one
of the most popular and well-read volumes, having been borrowed by each and
every radiology resident in the program, until our well-worn and well-loved
copy required replacement.
The book has eight chapters organized by anatomic area, with three
appendices, including an impressive subject index and a case cross-reference
listing based on patho-physiology, which allows this book to double as a
reference text to some degree. Within each chapter are approximately 40-60
well-chosen "unknown case" illustrations, each beginning with one
or more high-quality black-and-white images, including conventional
radiographs and cross-sectional images. Each case begins with a brief clinical
history, continues with a succinct discussion of the findings that the reader
should be able to discern from the images, gives the correct diagnosis, and
ends with an excellent, well-referenced, and authoritative discussion of each
entity. The cases chosen span the entire spectrum of musculoskeletal disease,
involving all anatomic areas and all imaging techniques—although
conventional radiography is emphasized (and deservedly so).
The layout of each case study is straightforward and simple, without the
use of distracting elements, bulleted lists, and sidebars now common in review
texts. The straightforward layout serves to make the entire book inviting,
easy to read, and undaunting despite its size. The book truly succeeds in
mirroring the experience of reviewing cases at the viewbox with a brilliant
mentor. The discussion of each case is succinct and focused, an elixir of
knowledge distilled to its essence, making it possible to read the text
quickly and extract valuable information efficiently.
This classic book is a perfect text with which to prepare for oral board
examinations in musculoskeletal radiology. The book is a valuable addition to
any residency program library and will be of great value to any radiologist
seeking to sharpen his or her skills in musculoskeletal imaging. The price tag
may be somewhat of a deterrent to trainees; books aimed at this target
audience more typically are priced between $100 and $125, but the price is
justified by the size and quality of the written material, glossy pages, and
high-quality illustrations. Felix Chew has done it again!
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