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Foot and ankle radiology
The Foot 14 (2004) 58
Book review Foot and ankle radiology Robert A. Christman This book has been written with the podiatric medical student in mind and covers all aspects of imaging of the foot and ankle. Although the use of all the more modern imaging techniques such as MRI, CT and isotope imaging is addressed, the importance of getting the most out of the plain radiograph is emphasised. How to position the patient and take the films, radiation safety, quality issues as well as normal radiographic anatomy and variants are all extremely well covered in this book. Many text books and chapters have been written on the imaging of the foot and ankle but few have attempted to cover so many aspects or are so comprehensive as this one and most are written with the practising clinician rather than the trainee in mind. This means that there is a tendency to omit the basics. Anyone with an interest in the foot will find sections of relevance to their practice here. This book although largely aimed at podiatrists covers every conceivable aspect of foot and ankle radiology and is of value to everyone involved in diagnosing and treating foot disorders. Segmental relationships and paediatric abnormalities can be difficult to understand and these subjects are very clearly addressed and useful for orthopods and radiologists in training. There is an excellent chapter on ‘systematic evaluation of bone and joint abnormalities’. This is the author’s own me-
0958-2592/$ – see front matter © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.foot.2003.08.002
thodical way of assessing the radiograph emphasising the recognition of any abnormality set apart from normal expectation Assuming the interpreter is familiar with normal radiographic anatomy and variations, an assessment of basic primary features such bony relationships, bony morphology, relative bone densities, changes in bone architecture and detection of periostial reaction ables him or her, in conjunction with other clinical data to select applicable differential diagnoses. The suggestion of having an articulated foot at hand makes good sense. I enjoyed reading this book as I recognised so much of my own philosophy when teaching ‘know your basics and the rest should follow’ or rather ‘if you don’t know the normal you will not know the abnormal’. MRI is a wonderful new imaging technique when used appropriately but a carefully taken clinical history and good plain radiographs is often all that is needed to provide the diagnosis. I believe that this excellent book will become a standard text for all podiatry medical students and that it would also be a useful reference book in libraries for radiographers, trainee radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons. N. Ann Barrington, (Consultant Radiologist) Diagnostic Imaging, Northern General Hospital Herries Road, Sheffield S5 7AU, UK Tel.: +44-114-271-4728; fax: +44-114-261-1791 28 January 2003
Book review Foot and ankle radiology Robert A. Christman This book has been written with the podiatric medical student in mind and covers all aspects of imaging of the foot and ankle. Although the use of all the more modern imaging techniques such as MRI, CT and isotope imaging is addressed, the importance of getting the most out of the plain radiograph is emphasised. How to position the patient and take the films, radiation safety, quality issues as well as normal radiographic anatomy and variants are all extremely well covered in this book. Many text books and chapters have been written on the imaging of the foot and ankle but few have attempted to cover so many aspects or are so comprehensive as this one and most are written with the practising clinician rather than the trainee in mind. This means that there is a tendency to omit the basics. Anyone with an interest in the foot will find sections of relevance to their practice here. This book although largely aimed at podiatrists covers every conceivable aspect of foot and ankle radiology and is of value to everyone involved in diagnosing and treating foot disorders. Segmental relationships and paediatric abnormalities can be difficult to understand and these subjects are very clearly addressed and useful for orthopods and radiologists in training. There is an excellent chapter on ‘systematic evaluation of bone and joint abnormalities’. This is the author’s own me-
0958-2592/$ – see front matter © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.foot.2003.08.002
thodical way of assessing the radiograph emphasising the recognition of any abnormality set apart from normal expectation Assuming the interpreter is familiar with normal radiographic anatomy and variations, an assessment of basic primary features such bony relationships, bony morphology, relative bone densities, changes in bone architecture and detection of periostial reaction ables him or her, in conjunction with other clinical data to select applicable differential diagnoses. The suggestion of having an articulated foot at hand makes good sense. I enjoyed reading this book as I recognised so much of my own philosophy when teaching ‘know your basics and the rest should follow’ or rather ‘if you don’t know the normal you will not know the abnormal’. MRI is a wonderful new imaging technique when used appropriately but a carefully taken clinical history and good plain radiographs is often all that is needed to provide the diagnosis. I believe that this excellent book will become a standard text for all podiatry medical students and that it would also be a useful reference book in libraries for radiographers, trainee radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons. N. Ann Barrington, (Consultant Radiologist) Diagnostic Imaging, Northern General Hospital Herries Road, Sheffield S5 7AU, UK Tel.: +44-114-271-4728; fax: +44-114-261-1791 28 January 2003