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Diagnostic Imaging: Spine

Lahey Clinic Burlington, MA 01805

 
By Jeffrey S. Ross, Michael Brant-Zawadzki, Kevin R. Moore, Julia Crim, Mark Z. Chen, and Gregory L. Katzman. Salt Lake City, UT: Amirsys Inc. and Jeffrey S. Ross, 1,000 pp., 2004. $225

As the fourth addition in a series of imaging texts by Amirsys, Diagnostic Imaging: Spine is a major update in understanding spinal complexities. The book incorporates the same innovative organizational style used in the publisher's earlier volumes.

Diagnostic Imaging: Spine is a must for any neuroradiologist's library. This volume completes a series for the neuroradiologist when added to Diagnostic Imaging: Brain, Diagnostic Imaging: Head and Neck, and other titles. On the other hand, this text is so informative and easy to use that it also can be useful as an important resource for the resident-in-training as well as for any seasoned radiologist.

This book is not a prose-laden fireside companion; rather, it offers a crisp, bulleted presentation with a wealth of illustrations. The organizational outline format may be initially uncomfortable for users unaccustomed to this style, but it fits easily into the Web mentality of the 21st century. Its format is identical to the one used in Amirsys' three other diagnostic imaging volumes.

Typically, four pages are devoted to a single subject. Often a Netter-style graphic by James Cooper is coupled with a diagnostic image, typically MR or CT. Clearly highlighted section details are in bullet format: terminology, imaging findings, differential diagnosis, pathology, and clinical issues. A short list of up-to-date selected references is included. Six high-quality images appear next to helpful image interpretation "pearls."

The researcher in need of a shortcut to find pertinent information can refer to a section titled "Key Facts." A concise view of relevant information for differential diagnosis using imagery is contained in accompanying thumbnail references, each containing four images.

Each of the eight sections incorporates a color-coded index, with numbering at the top of each page for quick access. Each section is headed by a comprehensive overview that may detail embryology, pertinent anatomy, terminology, or pathology. A reader, for example, might be looking for information on HIV infection. A broader perspective on the subject can found by reverting to the introduction of the "Infections" section.

The principal author, Jeffrey Ross, as well as Michael Brant-Zawadzki and Kevin Moore, all bring to this publication vast experience, both academic and practical. Each is well known as a lecturer, teacher, and researcher. Each one's work experience in high-volume patient-oriented practices adds a dimension beyond the academic. They also have enlisted colleagues Crim, Chen, and Katzman to complete the authorship.

The spectrum of the subject matter is exhaustive, yet most information is easy to find. More than 200 topics are covered with in-depth detail and high-quality imaging. Each subject stands alone but is integrated into a tightly organized format. A reader's search for an obscure subject, such as vitamin B₁₂ deficiency in myelopathy, is enabled by a comprehensive index. If typical imagery is your primary goal, the designation "i" in boldface type attached to a page designation indicates where to look for related images.

A reference to B₁₂ deficiency is discussed in the standard four-page format, but it appears again in a list of differential diagnoses relating to HIV myelitis. It appears a third time in the final section, "Gamuts," under a comprehensive discussion of acute transverse myelitis.

Section VIII, titled "Potpourri," is an anomaly in this tightly organized reference. Within this section is found a variety of clinical and imaging phenomena, including a discussion of such topics as transverse myelitis, back pain in children, peripheral neuropathy, and pathologic vertebral fracture.

In summary, Diagnostic Imaging: Spine offers the reader a Web-friendly resource in textbook form. The book incorporates a tight, consistent, and repetitive organizational style. Detailed information is presented in a bulleted outline format that ensures a comprehensive reference. The text's concise graphics, elucidating prose, and abundance of imaging make it a must for every radiologist's library.

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Baker, R. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Baker, R. A. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?