MR Neuroimaging: Brain, Spine, Peripheral Nerves

Michael Forsting, Olav Jansen. MR Neuroimaging. Brain, Spine, Peripheral Nerves. Stuttgart: Thieme Publishers; 217 (582 pages). ISBN: 978–3-13–202681–0. EUR ca 200.00 (e-book: eISBN 978–3-13–202601–9).

MR Neuroimaging: Brain, Spine, Peripheral Nerves is a translation of the successful second German edition (2014) of MRT des Zentralnervensystems and is co-edited by Michael Forsting, Director at Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology in Essen (Germany), and Olav Jansen, Chairman of Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology in Kiel (Germany). Being a multiauthored book, it has 24 German contributors with expertise in neuroradiology.

The volume covers the field of neuroimaging comprehensively. It is organized in three parts: Part I — Brain, Part II — Spine, and Part III — Peripheral Nerves. With eight pages, the last part appears as a tiny “appendix”, but it is justified as this is opening a new field (tumors of peripheral nerves and in particular role of MRI in inflammatory neuropathies). All chapters are clearly laid out. For individual disorders, as a rule, information is provided for “general basics,” epidemiology, clinical manifestations and treatment, and MRI findings. This goes along the statement of the editors provided in the preface: “The extensive text passages are intended not only to help describe findings but also to provide the background information necessary to a diagnostician when interacting on an equal footing with the clinician. Patients can benefit the most when several experts are on the case.” This credo is well taken and supported. However, the aspect of diagnostic confirmation (beyond imaging) is not always met (in the subjective mind of this reviewer), and expectedly so, in times of rapid progress of cell biology, biochemistry, and genetics, as a neuroradiology textbook is not expected to comprehensively include this information. “Further Reading,” which usually includes less than 25 references, is found at the end of each chapter. The printing of text and (in total 1,399) illustrations is of high quality.

Throughout the text, there are numerous helpful “messages,” highlighted against a pale blue background—as “Note,” “Tips and Tricks,” and “Pitfall.” A few explanatory examples are as follows: For “Note”: “Posterior encephalopathy has symmetrical or bilateral lesion pattern that is not always confined to the occipital lobes” and “Tethered cord is the result and complication of various developmental abnormalities and is not a malformation per se.” For “Tips and Tricks”: “DVA is not a vascular malformation but rather a variant of venous drainage. The term “venous angioma” should not be used because it implies a false similarity to a true arteriovenous malformation” and “Because areas of fulminant demyelination may take some time to enhance on MRI, allow at least 5 minutes between contrast injection and the acquisition of postcontrast images.” For “Pitfall”: “Contrast enhancement of the facial nerve does not necessarily signify inflammation, because enhancement may also occur as a physiologic phenomenon”—“A radiologic diagnosis of vasculitis should be considered only after detailed discussion with the neurologist.”

Thus, this volume gives good insight into the complex and large field of neuroimaging. For colleagues with a general interest in neuroimaging (who like well-produced and informative books), this is a good choice, and the value for money is appropriate. Through the eyes of a pediatric neurologist (with interest in imaging), mainly three chapters are of primary interest: those on “Metabolic Disorders,” “Malformations and Developmental Abnormalities” (Brain), and “Malformations and Developmental Abnormalities” (Spine), adding up to approximately 20% of the text. Overall, these pediatric aspects are adequately covered, with some minor exceptions (as: congenital-prenatal infections were not included; there was almost no information about the prevalent group of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis; the usefulness of susceptibility-weighted imaging [SWI] in assessing neurodegenerations with brain iron accumulation not mentioned). Despite these minor shortcomings, this volume can be recommended as a helpful reference.