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Thoracic Surgery
REVIEW OF RECENT BOOKS
Nuclear Cardiology Edited by James T. Willerson Philadelphia, F . A. Davis Company, 1979 247 p p , illustrated, $35.00
Reviewed by Kathryn F. Witztum, M.D.
employed in their evaluation), and methods of radionuclide angiocardiography (first-pass, gatedequilibrium, and multigated techniques, as well as functional stroke volume and ejection fraction imaging, determination of volumes and regurgitant fraction, and shunt quantitation) are all incorporated into a single, comprehensive monograph. This type of material is technical and complex, but readers will find that this survey is one of the best, a clear and comprehensible blend of physics and physiology, as the title implies. The chapters on radionuclide assessment of left ventricular function by Twieg and associates, and on right ventricular performance by Berger and Zaret are natural extensions of the basic aspects set forth in Budinger’s chapter, and are both done well. In particular, the chapter on right ventricular function contains excellent discussions on several subjects: the limitations imposed by chamber geometry; first-pass studies of right (and left) ventricular function with the multicrystal camera; and clinical applications in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and acute myocardial infarction. However, gated-equilibrium methods for determining right ventricular function are not covered. Other chapters-the pathophysiology of “cold spot” and ”hot spot” imaging agents by Buja and others, thallium-201 myocardial imaging by Pitt and Strauss (including exercise imaging, and applications to coronary artery spasm, myocardial infarction, and cardiomyopathy), and the role of various radionuclide techniques in evaluating congestive, restrictive, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, and myocardial disease of chronic pressure or volume overload by Pohost and co-authors-are also done quite well. Overall, there seem to be no major areas of deficiency in this book, and I recommend it highly. Physicians in the fields of cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and nuclear medicine, as well as residents in nuclear medicine and radiology, should find this volume a useful primer in the field of nuclear cardiology.
Nuclear Cardiology (Cardiovascular Clinics series, Vol 10, No 2) is an excellent introduction to the field. The chapters are contributed by well-recognized experts and cover a broad range of subjects in this burgeoning area of interest in medicine. Topics include the following: physics and physiology of radionuclide cardiology; scintigraphic evaluation of left and right ventricular performance; the pathophysiology and clinical applications of thallium-’201 myocardial imaging and of technetium 99m-labeled pyrophosphate imaging for acute infarction; assessment of coronary blood flow with xenon-133 gas or radioactive particles; the positron emitters for investigation of regional myocardial and pulmonary blood flow, and cardiac metabolism; radionuclide studies in congenital heart disease; and transmission computed tomography of the heart. This last chapter, while not, strictly speaking, part of ”nuclear” cardiology, does indicate the recent rapid development of this type of cardiac imaging whose clinical usefulness appears to be near at hand. (In a similar manner, it might also have been of interest to briefly survey the recent advances in real-time cardiac ultrasound.) The chapters are well written and thoroughly referenced; even the introductory chapter on the history of nuclear cardiology by Bonte and associates has sixty-four reference entries. Tables, schematics, and illustrations are quite good on the whole; a few of the reproductions of digitized thallium-‘201images in the chapter “Clinical Applications” are somewhat dim. Typographical and other errors and deletions are minimal, and the format and page texture contribute to easy reading. The index is rather abbreviated for general use, but can be supplemented by use of the table of contents and the well-delineated chapter subheadings. ”Physiology and Physics of Nuclear Cardiology’’ by Dr. Thomas F. Budinger is an outstanding sum- Sun Diego, C A mary of the basic science principles that are fundamental to understanding this field. The section on radioisotopes and radioactive decay contains a table Modem Technics in Surgery: listing essentially all the radionuclides currently used CardiadThoracic Surgery in nuclear cardiology, and their decay characteristics. Edited by Lawrence H . Cohn, M.D. A survey of the principles of several types of detec- M t . Kisco, NY, Futura Publishing Company, 1979 tors and imaging systems is given, including the 152 p p , illustrated, $49.50 standard, single-crystal, Anger-type gamma camera, the multicrystal camera, and the positron camera. Reviewed b y Harry A . Wellons, Jr., M.D. Discussions of three-dimensional reconstruction, radiation absorbed dose calculation, flow and This publication offers a fresh approach to the pretransit time measurement (Fick, Stewart-Hamilton, sentation of a number of cardiac and thoracic operaKety-Schmidt), principles of myocardial perfusion tions. The emphasis is on surgical technique. In and metabolism (and the various types of tracers addition to being well illustrated, the volume has a
107
108 The Annals of Thoracic Surgery Vol 32 No 1 July 1981
detailed text, describing each procedure, the indications for use, postoperative management, common complications, and results. In essence, each discussion is a short monograph on the particular operation, and the contributors are acknowledged authorities in their field. The loose-leaf format, allowing individual sections to be removed and updated, is unusual but attractive, and it is to be presumed that these updates will, indeed, be offered in the future. A limited number of operations is presented: seven congenital heart, five acquired heart, and three general thoracic procedures. Obviously this does not cover the entire field of cardiothoracic surgery. However, it is apparently the intent of the publishers to offer additional installments of new procedures in the future. Each operation is well presented and well illustrated. Usually, only one technique is provided for correction of a surgical problem and the book might be strengthened by offering alternate techniques. It is to be hoped that this will be done in the planned updates. Of particular note is the section by Parsonnet on implantation and replacement of permanent pacemakers. It is one of the most comprehensive presentations of this topic to be found. Routine implantation is well covered with a special section on catheterization technique, and management of complications of the procedure is thoroughly presented. On the whole, this volume represents a major contribution to the field. It will be of interest to residents in training and also to practicing cardiothoracic surgeons.
Charlottesville, V A
Surgery of the Aorta and Its Body Branches Edited by John J. Bergan, M.D., and James S . T. Yao, M.D. N e w York, Grune & Stratton, Inc., 1979 632 pp, illustrated, $45.00 Reviewed b y W. Sterling Edwards, M.D. This is a volume of collected papers presented at a symposium in Chicago in December, 1979. Unlike the usual collection of edited summaries of verbal presentations, the articles were carefully written expositions of each subject prepared by each author. A number are duplications of previously published papers that were updated with additional experience. The advantage of this volume over a standard textbook in vascular surgery is that it allows some of the world’s most talented vascular surgeons to share their experiences and opinions in various aspects of aortic operations in a less formal way. Particularly informative and up-to-date were the discussions on the newer diagnostic techniques such as ultrasound and computerized tomography, and their usefulness and limitations in comparison with plain roentgenography and aortography in evaluating diseases of the aorta and its branches. Two articles thoroughly summarized current knowledge of the preservation or restoration of sexual function associated with aortic operations. An excellent series of papers detailed the problems of diagnosing and treating renovascular hypertension, including an understanding of the renin system, and the use of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the renal arteries. Other discussions of aortic trauma, graft infections, and management of ruptured and elective aneurysms will be of interest to vascular surgeons at all levels of experience. I found the volume to be a most practical treatise on all aspects of aortic disease, its diagnosis, complications, and treatment. It is presented from one of the very best centers for academic vascular surgery and has much to offer vascular surgeons and, especially, general or thoracic surgery residents and vascular fellows in training. The only weakness was the rare article by a busy author who obviously failed to devote much time to his manuscript and presented only a hasty summary of his subject.
Albuquerque, NM
Nuclear Cardiology Edited by James T. Willerson Philadelphia, F . A. Davis Company, 1979 247 p p , illustrated, $35.00
Reviewed by Kathryn F. Witztum, M.D.
employed in their evaluation), and methods of radionuclide angiocardiography (first-pass, gatedequilibrium, and multigated techniques, as well as functional stroke volume and ejection fraction imaging, determination of volumes and regurgitant fraction, and shunt quantitation) are all incorporated into a single, comprehensive monograph. This type of material is technical and complex, but readers will find that this survey is one of the best, a clear and comprehensible blend of physics and physiology, as the title implies. The chapters on radionuclide assessment of left ventricular function by Twieg and associates, and on right ventricular performance by Berger and Zaret are natural extensions of the basic aspects set forth in Budinger’s chapter, and are both done well. In particular, the chapter on right ventricular function contains excellent discussions on several subjects: the limitations imposed by chamber geometry; first-pass studies of right (and left) ventricular function with the multicrystal camera; and clinical applications in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and acute myocardial infarction. However, gated-equilibrium methods for determining right ventricular function are not covered. Other chapters-the pathophysiology of “cold spot” and ”hot spot” imaging agents by Buja and others, thallium-201 myocardial imaging by Pitt and Strauss (including exercise imaging, and applications to coronary artery spasm, myocardial infarction, and cardiomyopathy), and the role of various radionuclide techniques in evaluating congestive, restrictive, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, and myocardial disease of chronic pressure or volume overload by Pohost and co-authors-are also done quite well. Overall, there seem to be no major areas of deficiency in this book, and I recommend it highly. Physicians in the fields of cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and nuclear medicine, as well as residents in nuclear medicine and radiology, should find this volume a useful primer in the field of nuclear cardiology.
Nuclear Cardiology (Cardiovascular Clinics series, Vol 10, No 2) is an excellent introduction to the field. The chapters are contributed by well-recognized experts and cover a broad range of subjects in this burgeoning area of interest in medicine. Topics include the following: physics and physiology of radionuclide cardiology; scintigraphic evaluation of left and right ventricular performance; the pathophysiology and clinical applications of thallium-’201 myocardial imaging and of technetium 99m-labeled pyrophosphate imaging for acute infarction; assessment of coronary blood flow with xenon-133 gas or radioactive particles; the positron emitters for investigation of regional myocardial and pulmonary blood flow, and cardiac metabolism; radionuclide studies in congenital heart disease; and transmission computed tomography of the heart. This last chapter, while not, strictly speaking, part of ”nuclear” cardiology, does indicate the recent rapid development of this type of cardiac imaging whose clinical usefulness appears to be near at hand. (In a similar manner, it might also have been of interest to briefly survey the recent advances in real-time cardiac ultrasound.) The chapters are well written and thoroughly referenced; even the introductory chapter on the history of nuclear cardiology by Bonte and associates has sixty-four reference entries. Tables, schematics, and illustrations are quite good on the whole; a few of the reproductions of digitized thallium-‘201images in the chapter “Clinical Applications” are somewhat dim. Typographical and other errors and deletions are minimal, and the format and page texture contribute to easy reading. The index is rather abbreviated for general use, but can be supplemented by use of the table of contents and the well-delineated chapter subheadings. ”Physiology and Physics of Nuclear Cardiology’’ by Dr. Thomas F. Budinger is an outstanding sum- Sun Diego, C A mary of the basic science principles that are fundamental to understanding this field. The section on radioisotopes and radioactive decay contains a table Modem Technics in Surgery: listing essentially all the radionuclides currently used CardiadThoracic Surgery in nuclear cardiology, and their decay characteristics. Edited by Lawrence H . Cohn, M.D. A survey of the principles of several types of detec- M t . Kisco, NY, Futura Publishing Company, 1979 tors and imaging systems is given, including the 152 p p , illustrated, $49.50 standard, single-crystal, Anger-type gamma camera, the multicrystal camera, and the positron camera. Reviewed b y Harry A . Wellons, Jr., M.D. Discussions of three-dimensional reconstruction, radiation absorbed dose calculation, flow and This publication offers a fresh approach to the pretransit time measurement (Fick, Stewart-Hamilton, sentation of a number of cardiac and thoracic operaKety-Schmidt), principles of myocardial perfusion tions. The emphasis is on surgical technique. In and metabolism (and the various types of tracers addition to being well illustrated, the volume has a
107
108 The Annals of Thoracic Surgery Vol 32 No 1 July 1981
detailed text, describing each procedure, the indications for use, postoperative management, common complications, and results. In essence, each discussion is a short monograph on the particular operation, and the contributors are acknowledged authorities in their field. The loose-leaf format, allowing individual sections to be removed and updated, is unusual but attractive, and it is to be presumed that these updates will, indeed, be offered in the future. A limited number of operations is presented: seven congenital heart, five acquired heart, and three general thoracic procedures. Obviously this does not cover the entire field of cardiothoracic surgery. However, it is apparently the intent of the publishers to offer additional installments of new procedures in the future. Each operation is well presented and well illustrated. Usually, only one technique is provided for correction of a surgical problem and the book might be strengthened by offering alternate techniques. It is to be hoped that this will be done in the planned updates. Of particular note is the section by Parsonnet on implantation and replacement of permanent pacemakers. It is one of the most comprehensive presentations of this topic to be found. Routine implantation is well covered with a special section on catheterization technique, and management of complications of the procedure is thoroughly presented. On the whole, this volume represents a major contribution to the field. It will be of interest to residents in training and also to practicing cardiothoracic surgeons.
Charlottesville, V A
Surgery of the Aorta and Its Body Branches Edited by John J. Bergan, M.D., and James S . T. Yao, M.D. N e w York, Grune & Stratton, Inc., 1979 632 pp, illustrated, $45.00 Reviewed b y W. Sterling Edwards, M.D. This is a volume of collected papers presented at a symposium in Chicago in December, 1979. Unlike the usual collection of edited summaries of verbal presentations, the articles were carefully written expositions of each subject prepared by each author. A number are duplications of previously published papers that were updated with additional experience. The advantage of this volume over a standard textbook in vascular surgery is that it allows some of the world’s most talented vascular surgeons to share their experiences and opinions in various aspects of aortic operations in a less formal way. Particularly informative and up-to-date were the discussions on the newer diagnostic techniques such as ultrasound and computerized tomography, and their usefulness and limitations in comparison with plain roentgenography and aortography in evaluating diseases of the aorta and its branches. Two articles thoroughly summarized current knowledge of the preservation or restoration of sexual function associated with aortic operations. An excellent series of papers detailed the problems of diagnosing and treating renovascular hypertension, including an understanding of the renin system, and the use of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the renal arteries. Other discussions of aortic trauma, graft infections, and management of ruptured and elective aneurysms will be of interest to vascular surgeons at all levels of experience. I found the volume to be a most practical treatise on all aspects of aortic disease, its diagnosis, complications, and treatment. It is presented from one of the very best centers for academic vascular surgery and has much to offer vascular surgeons and, especially, general or thoracic surgery residents and vascular fellows in training. The only weakness was the rare article by a busy author who obviously failed to devote much time to his manuscript and presented only a hasty summary of his subject.
Albuquerque, NM