Goldfarb CR, Parmett SR, Zuckier LS, et al. Nuclear Medicine Board Review: Questions and Answers for Self-Assessment, 4th Ed;Thieme;2018;373 pp; 162 ill;$69.99
Nuclear Medicine Board Review: Questions and Answers for Self-Assessment is the 4th edition of this comprehensive board review book incorporating many key advances in the field of nuclear medicine since the last edition which was published in 2012.
Authored by C. Richard Goldfarb and a team of expert colleagues from the United States and Canada, this book is written in a question-and-answer format with 2,250 multiple choice, true/false, or matching test questions and their corresponding answers in two separate columns, listed side-by-side. The design allows the reader to hold a piece of paper over the answer column and reveal one answer at a time in order to simulate an actual exam. The authors state that this interactive format is designed to speed assimilation of relevant information and enhance retention. The content is high yield and well-organized for board review purposes.
This concise manual is divided into four parts. Part 1, “Essentials of Nuclear Medicine,” consists of 4 chapters including radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals, instrumentation, quality control, and radiation safety and legal requirements. Part 2, “Single Photon Applications,” is comprised of 8 chapters focusing on planar and SPECT imaging including musculoskeletal, cardiac, central nervous system, thyroid and endocrine system, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, infection, inflammation and oncology, and pulmonary. Part 3 is dedicated to PET/CT and is divided into 11 chapters discussing the basics of PET and CT physics, breast cancer, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, genitourinary, lymphoma, head and neck cancer, thyroid cancer, neuro, and miscellaneous. Part 4 encompasses the diverse area of radionuclide therapy.”
Nearly 200 images are incorporated into the various chapters, providing opportunities for visual recognition and search pattern deduction. Although the image quality is decent, some of the images are small in size and could have better labeling. One of the nice features of this text is the collection of appendices which provide essentials on how to recognize the normal biodistribution of whole body scans, important calculations and scintigraphic patterns, and tips for exam preparation.
This book is an excellent review for those preparing for certification and recertification exams and may be useful for residents, nuclear medicine technologists, and practicing radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians who wish to stay up-to-date with the specialty. For the neuroradiologist, this book may serve as a nice reference for those who read PET/CT in head and neck cancer. There are also sections covering seizure localization and dementia imaging which may be of interest to the neuroradiologist.
Overall, this book provides a comprehensive and robust review for exams administered by the American Board of Radiology, American Board of Nuclear Medicine, Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology, and the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board. Additionally, it is an excellent source of reference for those working in the field of Nuclear Medicine or those who wish to stay apprised of the latest advances in the specialty.
