Book Review

Pulmonary Radiology

N Engl J Med 1994; 330:946-947March 31, 1994

Article

Pulmonary Radiology
Edited by E. James Potchen, Ronald G. Grainger, and Reginald Greene. 412 pp., illustrated. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1993. $75. ISBN: 0-7216-4821-5

This book was produced by members of the Fleischner Society, a group of 62 pulmonary radiologists, pathologists, and clinicians with a common interest in chest disease. As stated in the preface, this is their second effort honoring Dr. Felix G. Fleischner. The first book, Frontiers of Pulmonary Radiology: Pathophysiologic, roentgenographic and radioisotopic considerations (New York: Grune & Stratton, 1969), was published after the initial seminar in Boston in 1967 honoring Dr. Fleischner and appeared shortly after his death in 1969. The society includes established and well-known pulmonologists from around the world. The present book is a rich resource that will reward readers with an interest in pulmonary medicine, regardless of their specialty.

The book is organized in nine sections consisting of 30 chapters. Appropriately, the first section covers the developing lung. The second section, “Interstitial Lung Diseases,” contains a chapter on lung transplantation. The next six sections discuss the topics of vascular diseases, the pleura, acute lung injury, airway disease, AIDS, and lung cancer; the ninth section is a potpourri entitled “New Modalities.”

There is some chapter-to-chapter variation in the depth of coverage, the extent of the bibliography, and the quality of image reproduction. I was somewhat frustrated by the considerable variation in the quality of the images. Chapter 21, “Cystic Fibrosis,” and chapter 27, “Interventional Techniques in the Thorax,” contain images that are excellent but others that are rather poor, including some that are dated. I particularly enjoyed the sections on the developing lung, airway disease, and AIDS. The section on lung cancer might have been enhanced by a different selection of topics, particularly controversies about determining stages, post-treatment surveillance, and applications of new imaging techniques.

I would recommend Pulmonary Radiology to all clinicians interested in diseases of the chest as a well-written, carefully edited review of a random list of pulmonary topics. It is not intended as an all-inclusive, free-standing textbook, and therefore it probably will not find its way onto the shelves of most radiologists and pulmonologists. I would recommend it as a library resource and a reference work for residents or fellows during their training. It is a fitting tribute to the memory of Dr. Fleischner and members of the Fleischner Society.

David G. Bragg, M.D.
University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132