Rumack CM, Levine D. Diagnostic Ultrasound. 5th ed. Elsevier; 2018; 2240 pp; $349.99
Diagnostic Ultrasound has been a respected and commonly used reference text for everyone who works with clinical ultrasonography worldwide for more than 2 decades. Seven years after the release of its fourth edition, the fifth edition of the renowned textbook in diagnostic ultrasonography by Rumack and Levine is finally available. The text underwent a thorough review of its contents and references, with several new images and videos added to the already large pictorial pool. This book provides fundamental sonographic information to a diverse audience and a wide range of radiology subspecialties, including abdominal, pediatric, women’s, vascular, and neuroimaging, with contributions from more than 100 experts in the field. It brings up-to-date information on the latest ultrasonography techniques (eg, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, elastography, and 3D imaging), clinical indications, and pathologic findings.
Like its previous edition, the book is composed of 2 volumes divided into 5 parts and 56 printed chapters. An important online “virtual” chapter was added to the current edition, dedicated only to ultrasound artifacts. Volume 1 includes Parts I, II, and III, beginning with chapters on ultrasound physics and followed by sections on abdominal, pelvic, thoracic, small parts, carotid, and peripheral vascular imaging. The chapters on extracranial cerebral vessels should be of great interest to neuroradiologists and neurointerventionalists, particularly those involved with stroke care. Volume 2 is dedicated, once again, to obstetric and pediatric ultrasound, with several chapters focused on fetal and pediatric neuroimaging. In addition to the extensive review of congenital and acquired pediatric and fetal brain, head and neck, and spine disorders, interesting new topics have been included, such as fetal and infant central nervous system findings of Zika infection.
Overall, the text is well-organized and comprehensive, with a very direct, easy-to-read style. A major strength of the publication is its large number of high-quality images, tables, and graphs, complemented by online cine clips of ultrasound anatomy and findings. According to the editors, the fifth edition contains “over 2500 new/revised images and over 380 new videos with a total of more than 5800 images and 480 online videos.” There is a conscious effort to use clear illustrations of normal and abnormal findings, utilizing self-explanatory captions and several collages with more than 1 representative image per case example.
The vast number of online cine clips demonstrating “real-time” scanning is an essential complement to the still images. These clips provide the opportunity to understand the relationship of a static finding to the surrounding anatomy and demonstrate those abnormalities that require a complete sweep through the pathology to make a definite diagnosis. The presentation of clinical examples where those video sweeps were fundamental to make the correct diagnosis also supports the routine acquisition and submission of cine clips for interpretation.
The new virtual artifact chapter is another very useful supplement to clinical text. It presents short texts and lecture videos explaining many ultrasound artifacts linked to images presented in the text and how their detection can be used to obtain better imaging quality and help in the diagnosis. It is a great source of information for any radiologist who might be less experienced in “hands-on” scanning, performs occasional ultrasound examinations, or is consulted about ultrasound abnormalities with or without cross-sectional imaging correlation.
The printed text comes with a redeemable code for the e-book version that provides on-the-go access to the full text, images, videos, and virtual artifact chapter. Previously, technical issues commonly limited the utility of the online material, but they apparently have been fixed, making the electronic text and videos now easily accessible. By simply scanning a QR code with a mobile device or entering the alphanumeric code into the provided website, the book owner may have access to the entire book’s content. The e-book also allows for a direct search of all the text, figures, and references, improving the learning experience and facilitating a quick consultation.
This reference book is definitely a great acquisition for general radiologists, body imagers, radiology residents, and departmental libraries, but it will not be a primary purchase for neuroradiologists. The text provides comprehensive, updated information on ultrasonography, which makes it useful for all subspecialties in radiology, particularly for those in training. For the practicing neuroradiologist (unless they perform a significant percentage of general work), this would be a textbook that could be accessed from the department or practice library. The possibility of buying individual chapters online through the publisher’s website is an alternative for those interested in a particular neuro-related subject available in the book.
In summary, this textbook provides an extensive review of ultrasound imaging technique, clinical applications, and normal and pathologic findings. Although comprehensive, the chapters provide a quick and enjoyable read with a plethora of images to review and consolidate learning. I would recommend this book as a valuable reference to any radiologist whose practice involves ultrasound imaging. For the exclusive and academic neuroradiologist, there are chapters of the book that deserve a read, particularly for those interested or exposed to pediatric neuroimaging.
