A Concise Guide to Nuclear Medicine

A.H. Elgazzar

New York, NY: Springer, 2011, 166 pages, $39.95

As the name implies, this is a concise manual to current clinical nuclear medicine procedures and techniques. The book is a paperback edition printed on acid-free paper measuring just 9.3 × 6.1 × 0.3 in (∼24 × 15 × 0.8 cm). It is divided into 11 chapters written entirely by a single author, Dr. Abdelhamid H. Elgazzar from Kuwait University. The first chapter introduces the reader to the basic principles of nuclear medicine, including medical physics, instrumentation, radiopharmaceuticals, and the scope of practice. The subsequent 8 chapters address different organ systems and their specific clinical applications. There are 2 dedicated chapters briefly dealing with nuclear oncology and therapeutic applications of nuclear medicine. Each chapter is preceded by a list of contents for rapid reference, and at the end of each chapter are a quick summary and a section listing further reading material. As is the case with the author’s previous publications, this book is well written and the content is up to date. Its major strength lies on the superb illustrations, tables, and diagrams, helping one grasp difficult concepts. The material also includes plenty of images, many of which are in color or extensively annotated. In such a compact format, the book is best suited for medical students, referring clinicians, or radiology trainees in need of a succinct review before a rotation in nuclear medicine. It may also prove to be popular among radiology residents during board preparation. Furthermore, this book should be considered by medical libraries expanding their collection on nuclear medicine.

• © 2012 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.