British Journal of Radiology (2003) 76, 579
© 2003 British Institute of Radiology
doi:
Imaging of the knee. Techniques and applications. Ed. by AM Davies and VN Cassar-Pullicino, pp. x+342, 2002 (Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg), £111.50 ISBN 3-540-67292-3
F Gardner
This overview of all aspects of knee imaging consists of 18 chapters written by international experts. It provides 336 pages of comprehensive updates on all important aspects of modern diagnostic radiology of the knee. It is separated into imaging techniques (71 pages), clinical applications (226 pages) and extensive referencing (39 pages). Additionally as each chapter on clinical applications is a microcosm of the particular subject, there is a tendency to repetition (imaging techniques, artefacts etc.). The multinational aspects allow the reader to compare and contrast imaging requisites in various institutions (not all comparable with Royal College Guidelines).
The nine chapters I particularly valued included, Trauma, Non-accidental injury, Post-operative knee, Arthritis, Osteochondritis and Osteonecrosis and finally, (but especially) Tumours and Tumour-like lesions. The strengths of this book are the authors (except when advice is conflicting); quality images (624); excellent line drawings; good annotation (except image 16.2 and 16.3); lucid thought processes and clear diagnostic pathways (tumour and tumour-like lesions). Irritations were as previously mentioned, the repetition, variation in information, e.g. articular cartilage in degenerative joint disease, and lack of CT imaging in trauma (but this may be a local issue).
This textbook is aimed at general radiologists, musculoskeletal radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons. I welcome this niche textbook as a general radiologist working in a District General Hospital and I am sure that my orthopaedic consultant colleagues would equally value this text. However, I would assume that musculoskeletal radiologists would already have their preferred reference textbooks. This book is not inexpensive, but could be useful in a District General Radiology or Orthopaedic Department.
