Gross RE. Neurosurgical Operative Atlas: Functional Neurosurgery. 3rd ed. Thieme 2018; 362 pp; 287 ill; $269.99
Although written primarily for neurosurgeons, Neurosurgical Operative Atlas: Functional Neurosurgery has information, illustrations, and strategies which should hold significant interest for neuroradiologists—particularly in those centers where advanced neurosurgical procedures are done. The value here lies not only in showing what procedures can be done for specific conditions, but also how detailed anatomic MR information is crucial in planning and executing intracerebral therapies.
This book puts into a single volume virtually all procedures one would encounter in the brain and spine. For those who take great interest in detailed anatomy (particularly deep brain structures) this book will be enlightening. With 100 contributors, many topics are described in detail, including the surgical approach (highly image dependent) to movement disorders, seizures, psychiatric disorders, and pain; both brain and spine are covered. Areas, which are important since they relate to the daily interpretation of neuroimaging cases, are approaches to temporal lobectomy for seizures (with excellent drawings and intraoperative photographs), and laser ablations (MRI guided).
Multiple chapters are written on epilepsy, which illustrate how precisely one should deal with these images. In general, the MR images are satisfactory, but in some instances (as in one example, Figure 5.6 which intends to show MTS) more attention to window settings were needed.
A nearly equal portion of the book deals with movement disorder treatments along with surgical therapy for psychological/psychiatric disorders (Tourette’s and OCD). The targeting of specific structures would be, for most neuroradiologists, new information.
Pain (cranial neuralgias, neuropathic, spinal) and what is available to treat these frequently intractable problems is dealt with in complete fashion in a series of 15 chapters. All are pertinent to the practice of neuroradiology, since we should know how our neurosurgical colleagues may deal with these vexing problems.
This book would broaden a neuroradiologist’s understanding of treatment approaches, and in many cases, the subsequent imaging which follows.
