Pocket Atlas of Cranial Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Students and residents beginning to interpret neuroimaging are often in need of a basic reference that shows gross neuroradiological anatomy. This book attempts to fill that need. On the whole it does: the images are clear, the important structures for the most part are labelled, and orientative 'locator' diagrams for each image are provided. The book can however be improved in the following ways:

1. The author, an authority of brain and spine MRI, can begin the book with an introductory chapter that explains the basics of MRI images and how they are formed. What are T1 and T2 images? What structures produce high signals and what low? What do air, blood, bone and fat look like? For the beginning medical student, this is useful information.

2. For each image, a summary of what you should be looking for will be most helpful. Eg. What should the size of the normal 3rd ventricle be? If for each page, he gave in bullet form what you should be looking for, the value of the book would be immeasurably increased.

3. More detailed labelling would be a plus.
March 05, 2003