William H.M. Castro, Jörg Jerosch, and Thomas
W. Grossman Jr. Translated by John Grossman. New York: Thieme; 2001.
480 pages. $69.00.
This easy-to-read book is an encyclopedia of information presented
in the length of a good novel. The authors have compiled an impressive
collection of information on musculoskeletal history-taking, physical
examination, and the ordering and interpretation of images produced
by the many modalities that are currently available. Both traumatic
and nontraumatic conditions are discussed. The illustrations include
clinical photographs, line drawings, and superb reproductions of
all types of images. The layout and the style of writing make the
text very reader-friendly.
Two of the primary authors, Dr. Castro and Dr. Jerosch, are from
Germany, and the third, Dr. Grossman, is from the United States.
There are eleven other contributing authors; however, the style
of the book is uniform throughout, and the translation is as good
as any original English-language work.
The book’s nine chapters are organized by anatomic region (the
shoulder, knee, pelvis, and so on). Each chapter contains sections
on clinical examination, including patient history; plain radiography,
including special views; and other imaging modalities. The sections
on radiography and other imaging modalities provide very clear examples
of normal and abnormal findings. At the end of each chapter is a
moderate list of references, approximately one-half of
which are from the European literature; however, the book is so
complete that use of the references is rarely necessary. The standardized
format used for each chapter makes this an easy and quick reference source.
Each chapter covers plain radiography, computerized axial tomography
(including three-dimensional reconstruction), magnetic resonance
imaging, arthrography, and nuclear medicine studies. There is an
emphasis on the appropriate imaging modality for each disorder.
For example, a considerable amount of discussion is devoted to the
use of magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of chronic
shoulder problems; this section includes good illustrations of pathologic conditions,
with excellent labeling.
The sections on clinical examination begin with a discussion of
basic concepts and proceed to more specific clinical tests. For
example, in the knee chapter, fundamental tests such as measurement
of the Q angle are described, followed by descriptions of several
sophisticated tests for ligamentous stability.
Although some pediatric conditions are mentioned, the primary
focus is on adult injuries and disorders. Similarly, there is no
discussion of treatment, outcomes, clinical pathology, or laboratory
tests; the book concentrates on diagnosis only.
In summary, this is a superb book for both residents and practicing
orthopaedic surgeons, and it more than meets the goal of imparting
relevant diagnostic material. It is unusual to find a work in which
so much up-to-date information is so well presented.
The text can serve as either a quick reference or a detailed review
of clinical examination features and imaging findings associated
with particular musculoskeletal disorders. I recommend it without
hesitation.