Vialle LR, ed. Gokaslan ZL, Fisher CG, Boriani S, guest eds. Metastatic Spinal Tumors. AOSpine Masters Series. Volume 1. Thieme; 2014; 128 pp; 23 ill; $99.99

This first volume of the AOSpine Masters Series covers metastatic spinal tumors. It is a hardcover 128-page text edited by Drs. Vialle, Gokaslan, Fisher, and Boriani. The primary focus of this text is the surgical management of metastatic spine disease. Consequently, its relevance for a neuroradiology audience is limited.

The text is well organized and begins by emphasizing key points that should be the focus of the evaluation and surgical decision-making process with these patients. It then goes on to cover specific treatment options for spinal metastatic disease including ablative radiotherapy, and the spectrum of surgical approaches.  The surgical approaches are presented in the context of the spine region where they are most commonly used and sample cases emphasize the rationale and utility of each approach.  There is also a chapter focusing on minimally invasive approaches to spinal tumors. It concludes with a section on surgical complications and avoidance.

The content is accurate and is supported by contemporary, scholarly articles from the medical literature. It is concise, thorough in covering the topics, and emphasizes the most critical aspects involved in treating metastatic spinal tumors surgically. It is easy to read and reinforces key points in text boxes titled “pitfalls”, “pearls”, and “controversy”.

Images included in the book include intraoperative pictures, as well as x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans demonstrating metastatic spine tumor pathology. The images are of high quality and are labeled well. There are, however, a limited number of imaging studies presented in the text, and they are not analyzed from the diagnostic perspective that would be critical for the neuroradiology reader.

This book is useful for the neuroradiologist who is interested in gaining a more in-depth understanding of which cases of spinal metastasis require surgery and of the rationale behind surgical approaches used in specific cases. It has particular value for spine surgeons who commonly treat patients with spinal metastatic disease and for medical and radiation oncologists.