DeMonte F, McDermott MW, Al-Mefty O, Eds. Al-Mefty’s Meningiomas. Thieme 2011, 448 pages, 554 illustrations, $219.95.
This is the second edition of Al-Mefty’s Meningiomas, with three editors and over eighty authors. This book is organized into 11 sections with forty-four chapters. Most chapters have three or fewer authors. The book is extensively illustrated with high quality figures—over 550—including anatomic drawings, operative photographs, and contemporary radiologic images with MR and CT. The figure reproduction for Radiology is good and the figure legends are clear and concise.
Al-Mefty’s Meningiomas is text written primarily by and for neurosurgeons. However, this is also a great reference book for any Neuroradiology section—both academic and private practice. There is a comprehensive review of meningiomas by location, with a focus on anatomy and surgical approach, which includes important information on recurrence and survival. There are six radiology chapters. In addition, almost every other chapter includes some cross-sectional imaging to illustrate the lesion location under discussion.
The overall quality of the radiology images is excellent. The text also benefits from extensive intra-operative photography and outstanding artwork illustrating the relevant anatomy for each location and suggested method of resection.
Overall, the references for every chapter are up-to-date and include recent articles from the modern imaging era, up to 2010.
There is a single nine-page Pathology chapter ( 5) by two AFIP Neuropathologists, Alan L. Morrison and Elizabeth Rushing, called “Pathology of Meningiomas”.
One chapter (6) entitled “Molecular Biology of Meningiomas: Tumorigenesis and Growth” by Brian T. Ragel and Randy L. Jensen discusses genetics and mutations in meningioma.
Section IV of the book covers Diagnostic Radiology with one chapter on cross-sectional imaging and one on angiography: Chapter 13, by William P. Dillon and Alina Uzelac, entitled “Modern Imaging Techniques for Meningioma” (13 pages); and Chapter 14, by Williams J. Mack and Fernando Vinuela, entitled “Diagnostic Evaluation and Embolization of Meningiomas” (14 pages), respectively. Both are well written and up to date, although there is little discussion of MRS or diffusion imaging in diagnosis and grading of meningioma.
The largest part of the book comprises twenty chapters in Section VII “Surgical Treatment of Intracranial Meningiomas by Site”. These chapters include specific details of the operative approach and complications for a wide variety of specific meningioma locations. These chapters, while focused on surgery, are extremely well illustrated with anatomic drawings, MR and CT, and angiography. The anatomic drawings are just gorgeous and worthy of review by Neuroradiologists.
There are two additional chapters that focus on the integration of imaging with surgery, contained in Section VIII “Special Operative Considerations for Intracranial Meningiomas”:
Chapter 35, “Image-Guided Surgical Techniques for Meningiomas” by Robert E. Elliott and John G. Golfinos (8 pages); and Chapter 36, “Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Resection of Meningiomas” by Amitabh David Singh and Garnette Roy Sutherland (9 pages).
Lastly, for Radiation Oncologists, Section X on Adjuvant Treatment includes two chapters:
Chapter 40, “Conformal Radiation Techniques for Meningiomas” by Penny K. Sneed and Igor J. Barani (7 pages); and Chapter 41, “Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Meningiomas: Techniques and Results” by Doug Konziolka, David Mathieu, Ricky Madhok, John C. Flickinger, and L. Dade Lunsford (7 pages).
In conclusion, this is a solid, up to date, and thorough review of the most common primary tumor of the central nervous system. Al Mefty’s Meningioma should be recommended for all Neuroradiology groups.
