Reviewer: Michael D. Zwank, MD, RDMS, FACEP (University of Minnesota Medical School)
Description: This book presents basic approaches to reading plain films obtained in the emergency department, focusing on the most common injuries, using both real life x-ray imaging and illustrations to help physicians and midlevel providers develop a systematic way to evaluate for injury. The previous edition was published in 2005.
Purpose: The aim is to provide a logical and systematic approach to evaluating plain films for the most common injuries seen in the emergency setting. This is a worthy objective as there is often a lack of physician and midlevel training on reading plain films, which can have a big impact on treatment options and plans of care. This book adequately meets the objectives by reviewing common plain films in a systematic fashion and presenting accompanying illustrations of basic anatomy.
Audience: It is intended for a variety of readers, including emergency department physicians, emergency department midlevel providers, radiologists in training, reading radiologists, and general practitioners working in remote locations. This book is appropriate for the intended audiences, though it may be too basic for radiologists with advanced training. It also would be a good reference for medical students or residents in other fields, particularly those in orthopedics. The authors are all consultant radiologists.
Features: The book is divided into six main sections: skull, upper extremities, spine, lower extremities, torso, and penetrating foreign bodies. It begins with brief guide to the key principles associated with reading plain films, followed by a section reviewing imaging differences in pediatrics. Subsequent sections present a systematic approach to evaluating the plain films of the most common injuries seen in the emergency department using the following format: review of normal anatomy with color illustrations, analysis of plain films including x-ray imaging with bulleted checklists for each type of film, review of common injuries again with x-ray imaging and color illustrations, review of rare but important injuries, and discussion of common pitfalls. The book includes an abundant amount of well-done x-rays, color illustrations, and checklists throughout. It concludes with a self test using x-ray images.
Assessment: This is an excellent resource. It does an amazing job of presenting a great amount of detail in a clear and concise way in just 380 pages. It is much improved from the second edition, including more color illustrations and only the most common or important injuries.
"It contains just the right amount of information to accommodate readers from trainees through to consultant or attending level; it can just as easily be used for revision as it can for reference". Reviewed by African Journal of Emergency Medicine , Jun 2015
"Since the publication of the first edition in 1995, this book has been essential reading for anyone working in the acute world of a casualty department. This book will provide essential reading and support to A&E trainees, medical students, radiology trainees, reporting radiographers and clinical nurse specialists, all of whom may be faced with trauma cases requiring accurate diagnosis and treatment. It will [also] remind more senior clinical staff about some of the less frequent signs and principles relating to radiograph interpretation." Reviewed by RAD Magazine, Feb 2015
