Reviewer: Anna B Owczarczyk, MD, PHD (University of Michigan Medical School)
Description: This book provides a practical approach to soft tissue and bone lesions by stressing key morphological features through a series of differential diagnoses.
Purpose: The purpose is to highlight the more common entities and selected rare diseases and address morphological features that help guide diagnosis.
Audience: This book is geared toward pathology trainees or practicing pathologists without specific subspecialty training in soft tissue and bone pathology.
Features: In the first eight chapters, the book goes over major differential diagnostic categories of soft tissue entities: spindle cells lesions, adipose tissue, myxoid lesions, epithelioid lesions, vasoformative lesions, pleomorphic lesions, and round cell lesions. The bone differential chapters include osteoblastic lesions, cartilage lesions, fibroosseous lesions, fibrous/fibrohistiocytic lesions, giant cell lesions, round cell lesions, vascular lesions, cystic lesions, pleomorphic lesions, notochordal tumors, and synovial based lesions. Each chapter is subdivided into differential pairs (e.g., nodular fasciitis vs. fibrous histiocytoma, nodular fasciitis vs. neurofibroma, nodular fasciitis vs. desmoid type fibromatosis, etc.). Each differential subsection begins with a one-page chart comparing two entities, and detailing succinct, high-yield facts about the clinical presentation, histology, radiology, ancillary studies, treatment, and prognosis. Immediately after the chart are at least 10 high-quality images of similar looking lesions side-by-side for easy comparison with respect to clinicopathologic features and ancillary tests (over 1,300 images total in the entire book). References for further reading are included at the end of each chapter. Lastly, the index is comprehensive and practically organized by chapter. The entire contents of the book can be accessed online, allowing for easy browsing and annotation. Enhanced images are viewable online as well.
Assessment: This book is a well-organized, visually appealing, easy-to-read resource that highlights the most common differential diagnoses in soft tissue and bone pathology, as well as selected rare entities. At just under 500 pages long, it is a concise, invaluable resource to have on hand beside one's microscope. I specifically recommend this book to trainees trying to master the subtle differences between major soft tissue and bone lesions, or those practicing pathology without subspecialty training in soft tissue/bone pathology.