Sclafani AP, ed. Total Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. Thieme; 2014; 1100 pp; 666 ill; $199.99

This is an A-to-Z book on otolaryngology, with emphasis on the surgical aspects of that specialty. In a large (and heavy) 1100-page text edited primarily by Dr. Anthony Sclafani from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, the topics cover emergency management, general ENT, head and neck surgery, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, pediatric ENT,  laryngology, rhinology, and otology.

There are portions of the book that have minimal applicability to radiology (as one would guess), but a great deal of it is directly germane to our specialty. Nearly 100 authors have contributed to this book, and they have hit the areas of greatest interest to their fellow surgeons and clinicians. However, not all the aspects a neuroradiologist would like to see in a book of this size are there, such as clinical and surgical considerations in temporal bone trauma or evaluation (clinical/imaging) of the previously operated neck, among others. That said, there are many crucial topics that allow one to appreciate and understand more fully those areas we deal with on a daily basis. As expected, there are points we infrequently, if it all, consider when dealing with ENT problems, but the reader will be disappointed to see many instances where there are no imaging correlates, such as in Bell’s Palsy, or little if any imaging, such as in paranasal sinus disease. Where imaging is included in various chapters it is generally of fair or suboptimal quality. More care should have been given to that aspect of the book.

As a general overview of ENT the book meets it goal, but detailed information in many areas of interest to the neuroradiologist is missing. That certainly is a good reason for a shorter, disease-specific book that directly addresses issues of concern in subspecialty areas.