Radiology made easy

Arpan K Banerjee
London: Greenwich Medical Media, 1999 £16.50 (paperback)
ISBN 1841100145

Radiology

Radiology conjures up a plethora of reactions in medical students, from an inquisitive interest to pure hatred. Most share one thing in common, a wish to be somewhere else when a clinician asks you to present and interpret a radiological image. Those moments of motionless dread need not be so; Radiology Made Easy is here to help us all!

This book is a splendid overview of a host of common imaging techniques and findings, including plain radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and ultrasound. In chapters on body systems and arranged by specific diseases within chapters, it approaches some of the commonest radiological findings in medicine. Each section outlines in text the potential findings on the imaging films for a specific disease and its likely causes, and it is accompanied by relevant images. Delights covered within this well-focused book include classical signs only radiologists could come up with, such as the "drain pipe" colon of ulcerative colitis and the "apple core" stricture of bowel tumours. There is also the chance to try to see the "flying pig" of radiology-Kerley B lines in heart failure.

The main downside of this book is the assumption of some knowledge and powers of intuition in interpreting the images. Although accompanied by explanatory text, the images are not directly labelled, which can make it tricky in places. Any ward based medical student wanting an introduction to everyday radiology should, however, at least have a browse, and if you fancy splashing out it won't damage your pocket either. {rvau} t,

Ian Bickle, third year medical student, Queen's University of Belfast
Email: email


studentBMJ 2000;08:175-216 June ISSN 0966-6494