Mancuso AA, Hanafee WN.  Head and Neck Radiology, Vols. I and II. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2010, 2368 pages, 10340 illustrations, $499.00.  (set includes online access)

In a major addition to the radiology literature, Tony Mancuso has edited and structured a 2-volume (2264-page) textbook entitled Head and Neck Radiology.  There are major contributions from Drs. Verbist and Hermans and additional contributions from 21 other authors.  Many glowing comments can be made about this book set; this reviewer will mention only a few because the plaudits which these two volumes deserve are many.

First and foremost, Dr. Mancuso has singlehandedly written or co-authored every one of the 223 chapters.  This in itself is a remarkable achievement, but from a structural standpoint it has ensured a uniformity in style and material presentation from chapter to chapter.  Second, this book is truly a hybrid production with 42 chapters online (an access number is provided with purchase of the book), and these chapters cover Imaging Fundamentals (16 chapters) and what is termed General Pathology, Pathophysiology, Patterns of Disease (17 chapters, all authored by Dr. Mancuso).  Parenthetically, access to the web-only chapters could not be accessed—and a phone call to the publisher confirmed that access was not available due to system problems and difficulty in the migration of information/data.  All of us often hear this explanation from our IT Departments and remain no more informed than before the phone call.  Although this reviewer was told, “Hopefully, the site will be accessible soon,” (no date given), one can quickly appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of web accessible textbooks.  Fortunately, the vast majority of the book is in printed form.  It is inevitable that future generations of radiologists will deal only with digital books, but for now I am glad the print versions still exist.  Third, each chapter is nicely broken up by what could be described as side bars such as Key Points, Reporting Responsibility, What the Treating Physician Needs to Know (these latter two items are vital to robust imaging consultations).  Lastly, the book ends with three appendices—A:  CT protocols, B:  MR protocols; C:  Spread of Patterns of Head and Neck Malignancies.  The head and neck protocols come not only with the technique for various conditions (quick: how do you do a brachial plexus?) but also with special instructions for adequate imaging (items like coils and with what elements, how to angle, etc.).  Also included are indications for each particular study (a plus for ICD9 coding).  These protocols could easily be printed and be part of a CT or MR tech’s portfolio in the scanning area.

With 223 chapters there is no sense in listing them all in this review, but the division of the book is into 16 sections.  The first two are digital in form and are mentioned above.  The remainder cover The Eye/Orbit/Visual Pathways; Sinonasal and Cranialfacial Region; Temporal Bone/Skull Base/Posterior Fossa/Cranial Nerves; Suprahyoid Neck; Infrahyoid Neck and Thoracic Inlet; Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands; Salivary Glands; Nasopharynx; Oropharynx; Oral Cavity and Mouth; Trachea; Hypopharynx; Cervical Esophagus

This listing of sections doesn’t really do justice to the multiple chapters in each section.  Take for example the section on Temporal Bone—there are 38 chapters covering nearly every aspect of imaging diseases in this area.  In this section (and this goes for other sections also) this reviewer would have liked to have seen a separate chapter dedicated to a description and illustration of all postoperative changes/imaging.  This would have been particularly welcomed in the neck where interpretation of radical/modified dissections and reconstructions are frequently the bane of the radiologist, who is trying to make sense of the changes due to surgery and/or radiation.

This book set is filled with abundant high quality images, instructional diagrams, gross anatomic sections, and well labeled images with extensive descriptions in the legends.  There is no wasted space with radiographs/CTs/MRs/nuclear images of adequate size to visualize the areas of concern.

This book set, published in memoriam to William Hanafee, who was Tony Mancuso’s mentor, would do Dr. Hanafee proud.  It is a landmark textbook and one which should reach the shelf of every practicing neuroradiologist.