Emergency Radiology: Case Studies

Abstract

By Schwartz, David T. . Edited by Robert Pancotti, Anne M. Sydor, and Peter J. Boyle . New York : McGraw-Hill , 2007 ; 562 PP; $149 (hardcover ). As a recent emergency medicine (EM) residency graduate, mastering the vast field of radiology can be challenging. We must rise to the occasion in recognizing subtle signs of disease in our busy EM environment. To make matters more complex, often we are faced with different radiologists reading the same radiograph differently. Emergency Radiology: Case Studies is ideal for those of us who are unable to speak to a radiologist in the middle of the night or who are at the mercy of a possible “night read” misinterpretation. The book’s content is organized into seven main sections: Section I—Introduction to Chest Radiology, Section II—Introduction to Abdominal Radiology, Section III—Introduction to Skeletal Radiology – Upper Extremity, Section IV—Lower Extremity, Section V—Introduction to Cervical Spine Radiology, Section VI—Introduction to Head CT, and Section VII—Introduction to Facial Radiology. Catering to those of us who enjoy a problem-based approach, the book has 55 case studies focusing on challenging areas in emergency diagnosis, including imaging studies with subtle, equivocal, or potentially misleading findings. Each chapter begins with a case presentation, followed by a more detailed discussion on the topic. Each chapter also contains a section on additional readings that present key articles on the subject matter. The referenced journals range from the New England Journal of Medicine to the Clinical Radiology Journal. The problem-based approach makes it easier to read and helps the reader retain key points. The strengths of the book are multiple. First, it is easy to read and follows a logical progression. The author does a superior job taking you step by step through the radiographic analysis of the medical disorder. Each chapter covers when to order particular studies, as well as how to evaluate the adequacy of the film. Hundreds of excellent high-resolution illustrations of variants and common bread-and-butter pathology are presented. The book focuses on easily missed disorders and challenging conundrums. Most of the illustrations have accompanying anatomical diagrams to better help visualize the radiograph. The book has excellent tables. Some of the best features of the book are the many pearls to radiographic readings as well as pitfalls to avoid. The only weakness to the book is that it does not have an accompanying website to provide content updates. Emergency Radiology: Case Studies is a one-of-a-kind textbook that will help the reader effectively and confidently interpret even the most challenging radiographic studies. It will help you fine tune your emergency radiographic interpretation and problem-solving abilities. This book is highly recommended to medical students interested in EM and to practicing emergency physicians.