Sanno M, Russo A, Caruso A, et al. Color Atlas of Endo-Otoscopy Examination-Diagnosis-Treatment;Thieme 2017; 348 pp; 1,007 ill; $109.99.
In this first edition text, the authors have assembled an image-rich reference of the various manifestations of both common and rare pathologies of the external auditory canal, middle ear, and temporal bone. While the undoubted focus of the book remains the otoscopic evaluation of these entities, many of the otoscopic photographs are complemented with radiologic images, thereby including radiologists as potential beneficiaries of this work, in addition to the otolaryngologists, pediatricians, and audiologists who will all assuredly solidify their otoscopic examination.
The book is divided into 14 chapters, and generally follows a progression from superficial to deep, with early chapters devoted to diseases of the external ear and middle ear, with middle chapters focused on cholesteatomas, and the later chapters addressing rare lesions of the temporal bone and skull base.
Unsurprisingly, with over 1,000 images throughout this work, a majority of each chapter is devoted to showcasing the high-resolution otoscopic pictures, and when relevant, accompanying radiologic cross sectional images. All images are independently captioned, though many of the radiologic images require reading the preceding passage of text to acquire full understanding. All chapters offer a brief discussion on surgical management of these conditions as well, often with accompanying postoperative images. The book is concluded with a generous references section. Chapters 1 and 2 offer a brief description of otoscopic technique as well as a short discussion on the normal appearance of the tympanic membrane, and are of little relevance to the radiologist.
Chapter 3 focuses on various disease entities of the external auditory canal, ranging from otitis externa and myringitis, to mass lesions such as EAC cholesteatoma, as well as uncommon tumors that may involve this site. While a representative MRI or CT cross sectional image accompanies most of the otoscopic images, the radiologic images are of variable spatial resolution, and with only 1 sequence provided for each MRI image, the images do not provide a comprehensive radiologic representation of each pathology. The final section of the chapter is devoted to the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the EAC, with the highlight of the section being a set of well-drawn schematic illustrations of the T staging of SCC.
Chapters 4-8 delve into various manifestations of otitis media, with separate chapters devoted to cholesteatoma-related and non-cholesteatomatous forms. Aside from a chapter dedicated towards cholesterol granuloma, radiologic images are sparser in these chapters. Continuing with the discussion on cholesteatomas, chapters 9 and 10 cover congenital cholesteatoma of the middle ear and petrous bone cholesteatoma, respectively, with both chapters showcasing numerous outstanding images of the various erosions that are seen with these lesions.
One of the longest and most in depth sections, chapter 11 focuses on paragangliomas of the temporal bone, and with a strong emphasis on the radiologic appearance of these entities, I found this to be one of the most relevant chapters to my practice. In addition to standard imaging modalities, MRA and DSA images are offered in this section. Several detailed, high quality schematics are also presented to illustrate the Fisch classification for these lesions.
Chapters 12 and 13 cover uncommon and rare lesions of the temporal bone, including non-neoplastic entities such as high riding jugular bulb and meningocele, as well as various tumors. These chapters are rich in radiologic images, though given the rarity of some of these entities, a more comprehensive radiologic presentation would have been appreciated. The 14th chapter concludes the book with a focus on various postoperative states such as myringoplasty and stapes surgery, though this chapter is heavily devoted to otoscopic imaging, with only a handful of radiologic images.
Ultimately, this work succeeds as an otoscopic atlas (surprise!) and as a practical reference for those who diagnose and treat pathology of the ear. In regards to the radiologic strength of the work, this book serves well as a compendium, rather than a definitive radiologic reference. Despite the captions on the images, much of the anatomy is not labeled, thereby restricting this work to those already well familiar with temporal bone anatomy. As such, I would only recommend this text to the practicing neuroradiologist or neuroradiology fellow, as much of the book is well beyond the scope of generalists and resident level trainees.
