HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

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 Aughenbaugh, G. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Aughenbaugh, G. L. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Pediatric Chest Imaging: Chest Imaging in Infants and Children

Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN 55905

Edited by Javier Lucaya and Janet L. Strife. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag, 306 pp., 2002. $219

According to the editors of this book, the pediatric chest radiograph is the most common radiologic study ordered for children. Because conventional chest radiography is discussed in detail in most pediatric radiology texts, the authors of Pediatric Chest Imaging have elected to focus on cross-sectional imaging of the pediatric chest. Sixteen chapters are devoted to special cross-sectional techniques and specific pediatric diseases affecting the chest. The techniques discussed, in order of decreasing emphasis, are high-resolution CT of the lung, helical CT of the chest, advanced techniques for imaging the pediatric airway, chest sonography, cardiac MRI, and nuclear medicine. Specific diseases described include a gamut of pediatric disorders: pulmonary malformations, acute pulmonary infections, trauma, pediatric tuberculosis, imaging foreign-body aspiration, thymic disorders, thoracic manifestations of systemic disease, pulmonary manifestations of AIDS, lymphoma, chest tumors other than lymphoma, and chest wall abnormalities.

Topics are presented in varying depth. High-resolution CT covers 38 pages and has 55 figures (71 illustrations) and 160 references. Pediatric chest nuclear medicine is a mere six pages, with only four figures and six references. All the chapters are well written, and for a short book most topics are covered fully. There are more than 300 figures with 578 separate illustrations, some in color. The figures have been carefully selected and clearly show the findings. The 26 authors are internationally recognized pediatric radiologists. About one third are from the United States, and most of the others are European. Despite the disclaimer that the text and figures do not highlight the pediatric chest radiograph, there are 84 chest radiographs, indicating the importance of this technique in the evaluation of the young patient.

Physicians who care for the pediatric population often repeat the platitude that children and infants are not just little adults. As with many clichés, however hackneyed, this is true. The authors emphasize specific issues that, although also important for the adult patient, are particularly pertinent to the pediatric patient. These include the necessity for low radiation dose, the value of selective sedation, the importance of administering the proper amount of contrast material, the need for immobilization in some patients, and the necessity of providing what Dr. Garcia-Peña, the author of the chapter on helical chest CT, so aptly describes as "a warm atmosphere that minimizes anxiety." This includes the use of soft lighting, toys, rooms decorated for children, and the presence of a relative.

The longest chapter, which is about high-resolution CT of the lung, is particularly well written and exceptionally well illustrated. It could on its own serve as a minitext on the topic. Not surprisingly, one of the editors, Dr. Lucaya, a premier pediatric radiologist from Barcelona, along with colleague Dr. LaPointe, is the author of that chapter. The other editor, Dr. Strife from the University of Cincinnati, and her coauthor, Dr. Donnelly, also do an outstanding job discussing advanced techniques for imaging the pediatric airway. It is really unfair to pick only two chapters as outstanding, because all the individual chapters are quite good.

Because the book is only 300 pages long, it can be read in a short time. As a chest radiologist who specializes in the care of the adult patient, I found that the discussions of topics outside my expertise were particularly educational. The book should be of interest to any-one involved in the care of pediatric patients, such as pediatricians, pediatric radiologists, pediatric surgeons, and pediatric residents. Radiologists specializing in the adult chest and general radiologists should also benefit from this book.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

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 Aughenbaugh, G. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Aughenbaugh, G. L. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?