Beheshti M, Langsteger W, Rezaee A, eds. PET/CT in Cancer: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Individualized Imaging. Elsevier; 2017; 276 pp; $99.99
PET/CT in Cancer: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Individualized Imaging is a comprehensive book focused on the role of PET/CT in cancer staging and the assessment of therapeutic response to individualized treatments. The book uses a multidisciplinary approach, with contributions from 16 specialists in nuclear medicine, radiology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, and clinical oncology. These contributors detail research from leading comprehensive cancer centers in Europe and North America.
The book is organized into 12 different chapters, each of which is focused on a different cancer type (eg, head and neck, lung, breast, gastroesophageal, colorectal, hepatobiliary, gynecologic, prostate, melanoma, lymphoma, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms, and brain tumors). Each chapter is subdivided into different sections covering important clinical information about the cancer type, staging classifications, indications for PET/CT according to major clinical guidelines, evidence-based recommendations, and clinical points of view about each topic. The multidisciplinary approach is evident in each chapter, with a discussion section about the role of PET/CT in staging and evaluating the response to antineoplastic treatment and its prognostic value.
Each chapter includes a brief outline of diagnostic pitfalls of PET/CT imaging, including potential causes of false-positive and false-negative findings. At the end of each chapter, there are teaching cases that highlight the strengths and limitations of PET/CT in clinical scenarios, along with pertinent teaching points for accurate image interpretation and pitfalls for each individual radiotracer. Some chapters also discuss the clinical application of radiotracers beyond fludeoxyglucose (FDG).
Overall, the chapters are well-organized and concise, and they incorporate comprehensive reviews of the literature with up-to-date citations from scholarly publications. The chapters are supplemented with tables and bullet point outlines to emphasize certain topics and allow for quick reference. The teaching cases are valuable additions to each chapter, with high-quality PET/CT images and appropriate labels and captions.
The target audience for this book is wide-ranging, from residents or fellows-in-training to experienced physicians in different subspecialties who are active in the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment. The chapters covering head and neck cancers and brain tumors may be of particular interest to the neuroradiology audience. However, some of the non-FDG radiotracers used in PET/CT imaging for the investigation of brain tumors may only be available in a research setting or at major academic centers.
PET/CT has become more widely available over the past decade and plays an increasingly important role in the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment. This book employs a multidisciplinary approach with valuable contributions from the authors and collaborators and is presented in a concise, easy-to-reference manner. I recommend this unique text to the target audience, as it serves as a valuable source of information for physicians involved in managing patients with cancer. Although this book does not focus exclusively on neuroradiology, there are references to neuroradiology throughout the book, with at least 2 dedicated chapters that are well done and may serve as valuable references for the reader.
