Mammography Casebook Book

This lavishly illustrated book presents 100 breast imaging cases in a question and answer format, ideal for self-testing and review. Each case is presented in a concise way, with two pages devoted to review of the patient's imaging studies and the following two pages to analysis and categorization of findings.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Kirsten K Cestaro, BA, MD(University of Colorado Health Sciences Center)
Description:This is a case-based book presenting complicated breast imaging cases with ultrasound, mammography, and MR images in a quiz format. A very useful foreword outlines the basic language, staging, and BI-RADS lexicon for breast imaging.
Purpose:The purpose is to provide a lesson with each case, with a particular emphasis on imaging findings from each modality (ultrasound, mammography, and MR) and BI-RADS categorization. These are worthy objectives, but there is very little educational/didactic discussion beyond the imaging findings and BI-RADS lexicon. In many cases, procedural notes and pathology information is included. Each case includes one or two pearls of information in a caption box near the end of the case, but actual didactic discussion is fairly limited.
Audience:This book is largely written for resident radiologists preparing for boards. Additionally, general radiologists preparing anew to read breast imaging studies or preparing for recertification would benefit as well. Also, a women's imaging fellow would find this book useful. Almost all cases in this book include ultrasound, mammography, and MR correlation which makes it especially useful and unique.
Features:This is a collection of 100 breast imaging cases, nearly all of which include images from ultrasound, mammography, and MR. Many cases include figures from imaging-guided procedures as well. The quality of the images is truly superior. They are extremely crisp and well-organized. Also, the detailed discussion of particular imaging findings and categorization in the BI-RADS lexicon is complete and consistent. There are several shortcomings. First, the table of contents is organized more like an index, and the clustering of cases in the book seems somewhat haphazard. Second, many of the images/figures lack satisfactory text explanation. For example, the MR images need more text to explain the sequences and signal-to-time enhancement curves. Units are unclear on the axes of these graphs. Third, actual educational discussion beyond a description of the imaging findings is limited to only a caption box of one or two sentences.
Assessment:The quality of images and explanation of imaging findings in this book is superior. Also, the consistent use of the BI-RADS lexicon is excellent. It is a useful addition to a resident's collection in preparing for boards. Additionally a general radiologist preparing for recertification or a women's imaging fellow may find this to be helpful.