Category Archives: Full Reviews

Roos KL, Tunkel AR, eds.  Bacterial Infections of the Central Nervous System.  Series:  Aminoff MJ, Boller F, Swaab DR, eds.  Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Elsevier 2010, 278 pages, $258.

The current volume is a part of the third series of the Handbook of Clinical Neurology, dedicated to bacterial infection of the central nervous system.  The book covers advances in the field of bacterial infections and includes a number of new topics.   It provides insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of bacterial CNS infections and covers the main principles of modern antimicrobial therapy as well as bases for new therapeutic … Continue reading >>

Samson D, Batjer HH, White J, et al.  Intracranial Aneurysm Surgery:  Basic Principles and Techniques.  Thieme 2011, 219 pages, 159 illustrations, $74.99.

Intracranial Aneurysm Surgery: Basic Principles and Techniques is written by one of the modern day icons of cerebrovascular surgery and his colleagues.  The book is a concise, step-by-step, how-to cookbook based on Dr. Sampson’s wealth of knowledge and vast clinical experience at UT southwestern.  There are no major articles quoted or new data presented, only references to his peers that are as recognized as he is.  This handbook is mainly geared towards the senior neurosurgical resident or cerebrovascular … Continue reading >>

Papanicolaou AC.  Clinical Magnetoencephalography and Magnetic Source Imaging.  Cambridge Medicine 2009, 220 pages, 32 illustrations, $100.

The book Clinical Magnetoencephalography and Magnetic Source Imaging is a useful handbook edited by Dr. Andrew Papanicolou, published in 2009 by Cambridge University Press. This slender handbook is the result of collective efforts by a number of members of the International Society for Advancement of Clinical Magnetoencephalography (ISACM). The book articulates the empirical knowledge gained by this group on the use of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and magnetic source imaging (MSI). The intent is to introduce and to familiarize new users of this imaging modality … Continue reading >>

Mukherji SK, consulting ed.  Sundgren PC, guest ed.  Advanced Imaging Techniques in Brain Tumors.  Elsevier; November 2009.  Neuroimaging Clinics of North America; vol. 19, no. 4, pgs. 517-700, $99.

Improvements in imaging technology have allowed for a shift in the approach to the radiological investigation of brain tumors from a strictly morphologic assessment to a more functional and physiological one. This issue of the Neuroimaging Clinics of North America is a well written and comprehensive book that covers several new MR physiologic-based methods and recent advances in PET molecular imaging that have the potential to improve  tumor characterization, … Continue reading >>

Nowinski WL, Chua BC, Qian G, et al.  The Human Brain in 1492 Pieces:  Structure, Vasculature, and Tracts.  Thieme 2011, CD, $349.

The Human Brain in 1492 Pieces is an interactive CD that presents neuroanatomy in a digital format, a rather unique and different way from what we are used to normally seeing and learning. This CD has been created by many renowned scientists, the principal one of whom is Dr. Nowinski, who has previously received many awards for creating this unique software tool.
For a ‘non-computer’ person like me, I must admit that the interface is a bit … Continue reading >>

Alpert JN.  The Neurologic Diagnosis:  A Practical Bedside Approach.  Springer 2012, 297 pages, 46 illustrations, $49.95.

The Neurologic Diagnosis:  A Practical Bedside Approach is a well-written and easy to understand introduction to the neurologic examination and common clinical cases. It is a 297-page softcover edition written by Dr. Jack N. Alpert, who has had a long career in both academic and private practice.  He is an enthusiastic teacher, and this comes across in his new textbook.  Information is presented in a logical format, with related clinical correlates that help cement knowledge in the reader’s memory.
The book is organized … Continue reading >>

Lenz FA, Casey KL, Jones EG, Willis WD, eds.  The Human Pain System:  Experimental and Clinical Perspectives.  Cambridge 2010, 648 pages, $140.00.

This textbook covers the field of pain system in human there are several chapters that cover pain pathways in anterolateral system in the spine, the organization of the central pain pathways as it pertains to physiology of spine and brainstem projections, and supra spinal pain related structures.  Pain modulatory systems, mechanism and manifestations of chronic pain, and functional implications of treatment of chronic pain.  There are two chapters that are of particular interest for imaging brain function … Continue reading >>

Mukherji SK, consulting ed.  Murray AD, guest ed.  Imaging in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.  Elsevier; February 2012.  Neuroimaging Clinics of North America; vol. 22, no. 1, pgs. 1-122, $342.

Imaging in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias is an important addition to the Neuroimaging Clinics of North America. Dr. Mukherji is to be congratulated for selecting this topic for the February issue and for selecting Dr. Murray as the guest editor of this volume. The list of authors (15 in all) shows the progress being made internationally in trying to understand the imaging consequences of dementia. The sole authors … Continue reading >>

Bendok BR, Naidech AM, Walker MT, et al.  Hemorrhagic and Ischemic Stroke: Medical, Imaging, Surgical, and Interventional Approaches.  Thieme 2011, 584 pages, 542 illustrations, $199.99.

Hemorrhagic and Ischemic Stroke is a multidisciplinary, 584-page hardcover textbook which discusses the medical, radiological, surgical, and image-guided interventional aspects of this topic. It is co-edited by 2 neurosurgeons (Drs. Bendok and Batjer), a neurologist (Dr. Naidech), and a neuroradiologist (Dr. Walker). The imaging input into this text is substantial, and radiology abounds throughout the book, even in areas where imaging is not the primary topic of the section. A significant portion of the … Continue reading >>

Kirsch R.  Fighting For Our Health.  The Rockefeller Institute Press 2012, 416 pages, $19.95.

Fighting For Our Health provides a left-sided perspective on the processes and powers that led to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March of 2010.  The author is neither an academic nor a health care provider.  He has spent much of his recent career working with an advocacy organization called Health Care for America Now that is headquartered on K street in Washington, D.C., backed by a coalition which includes grass roots support, powerful unions, and wealthy backers.

The … Continue reading >>