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Advances in Medical Physics 2006. By Anthony B Wolbarst, Robert G Zamenhof, William R Hendee. pp. 331, 2006 (Medical Physics Publishing, MadisonWI), $80.00 ISBN 978-1-930524-34-7

Advances in Medical Physics 2006 is the first volume in a new biennial series "intended to help practising medical physicists, technically inclined physicians and other interested professionals to stay current in medical radiation science and technology". To establish a base-line, this first volume places its emphasis on up-to-date scientific and technical background information. Future volumes will contain overviews of specific topics.

Chapters are dedicated to all of the clinically established imaging modalities – digital radiography and fluoroscopy, computed radiography, nuclear medicine, MRI and ultrasound imaging. There is also a chapter on molecular imaging, as well as briefer reviews on other emerging imaging technologies such as optical and near-infrared imaging. In addition, there is a good chapter on medical imaging informatics.

Radiation therapy receives proportionately little attention: one chapter of approximately 32 pages. Although a good introductory overview, this chapter is not written at the same level as either some of the imaging chapters or the excellent chapter on the biological effects of ionising radiation.

The final chapter on magnetic nerve stimulation does not sit well with the other contents of this first volume and would have been more suitable as one of the specific topics planned for later issues. Perhaps the Editors were of a like mind, as the author's name (Tony Barker) was omitted from the list of contributors!

The content is heavily weighted towards an American viewpoint, with only one European address in the list of contributing authors. One consequence is that the subject of patient doses receives much less attention than one would expect in a similar European publication. In particular, there is almost no information on actual doses received by patients in diagnostic procedures, nor on concomitant doses in radiotherapy.

On the whole, this publication meets its stated objectives at a level appropriate to an MSc or the start of a PhD in medical physics. Its purchase can be recommended to libraries used by higher degree students in medical physics, medical physicists undertaking in-service training, and their lecturers and supervisors.

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