AJR 2004; 183:654
© American Roentgen Ray Society
Head and Neck Imaging
Mauricio Castillo
University of North Carolina School of Medicine Chapel Hill, NC
27599
4th ed., vols. 1 and 2. Edited by P. M. Som and H. D. Curtin. St. Louis,
MO: Mosby, 2,379 pp., 2003. $349
The mammoth (19 lb) fourth edition of this classic textbook is simply
beautiful. Like the third edition, it is divided into two tomes but has
increased in length from 1,545 to 2,379 pages. Seventy-seven contributors from
around the world are responsible for 45 chapters. The first book is divided
into four sections (sinonasal cavities, orbit and visual pathways, central
skull base, and jaws and temporomandibular joints). Dr. Thomas P. Naidich and
contributors inaugurate this book with a gorgeous chapter on embryology and
congenital lesions of the mid face that also includes a section on premature
suture closure. The anatomy, physiology, and functional endoscopic surgery of
the paranasal sinuses are covered in the next three chapters, using a plethora
of high-quality radiographs, CT scans and their 3D reformations, and diagrams.
The remaining material on sinonasal disease is divided into chapters dealing
with inflammatory processes, tumors and tumorlike conditions, trauma, and
post-operative findings. Dr. Mahmood F. Mafee is the author of the chapters on
the eye (including embryology, anatomy, and pathology). One could think of
these two chapters as a summary of his recent and excellent volumes for the
Radiologic Clinics of North America. The chapter on the lacrimal apparatus
appropriately includes many of the interventional aspects applicable to this
anatomic region. The chapter on the visual pathways is a nice addition to the
book but is not truly indispensable because it covers areas outside the head
and neck. All aspects of the central skull base are covered in a single
cohesive chapter. This last chapter is followed by one addressing imaging of
perineural tumor spread. The last section contains five chapters dealing with
the mandible and temporomandibular joints. These chapters cross over to areas
of imaging not usually performed by neuroradiologists and should provide
invaluable information to physicians in many subspecialties, radiologic and
otherwise.
The second tome is a bit thicker than the first one and is composed of
three sections (temporal bone, upper aerodigestive tract, and neck). The first
two chapters serve as an introduction to the complex anatomy of the temporal
bones and nicely address the different imaging techniques that may be used in
its evaluation. The rest of this section is divided in a traditional fashion
into chapters on congenital anomalies, trauma, and inflammation. Tumors
involving the temporal bones and the cerebellopontine angle cistern regions
are discussed together, and the final chapter is on tinnitus. The next section
is also very lengthy (nearly 400 pages), and its topic is the upper
aerodigestive tract. It is divided into four anatomically oriented chapters
and ends with one chapter on videofluoroscopy of swallowing. The last section
is over 500 pages long and includes 13 chapters. Most of these chapters are
anatomically oriented, but the information provided extends to the brachial
plexus and the posttreatment neck. The final chapters of the book discuss the
genetics of tumor development and metastasis and new imaging techniques.
It is simply impossible to comment on all the wonderful details that this
book contains. All chapters are extensively referenced, and there is ample use
of tables, drawings, diagrams, and clinical pictures. The quality of the
printing is as good as that of the paper. The book presents state-of-the-art
information in head and neck imaging but does not forget the roots and basics.
Certainly, this type of encyclopedic opus is not meant to be consumed from
cover to cover but rather to be savored in small portions. I give it more
stars than those allowed by any current rating system!
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