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216 Book reviews
that over two-thirds of the 357 illustrations are in colour
and are reproduced to a high standard.
J. M. H. MOLL
reports, and useful lists of references and suggestions
for further reading) represent good value for the price
quoted.
J. M. H. MOLL
Rheumatology. Ed. Rodney Bluestone. Pp. 544. $30-00.
Radiculosaccography with Water-soluble Contrast Media.
Houghton Mifflin: Boston, Massachusetts. 1980.
By P. Capesius and E Babin. Pp. 166. DM 98. Springermedical
of
a
continuing
in
series
This book is the first
education texts designed for the internist by the UCLA Verlag: Berlin. 1978.
Department of Medicine and the publishers. Dr Bluestone and his contributing authors have covered aspects This monograph describes plain and contrast radiography
such as pathogenesis, pathophysiology, diagnosis, of the lumbosacral spine. The place of the various
and the media used are illustrated
management, and prognosis of patients with primary contrast techniques practical
aspects and complications
their
with
ogether
into
organised
are
disorders.
The
40
chapters
rheumatic
7 parts: introduction; nonarticular rheumatism. Line dlagrams of great clarity are used to illustrate
degenerative joint diseases; inflammatory rheumatic normaland pathological appearances and
radiographs to aid interpretation.
diseases; acute monarticular arthritis; systemic lupus with good quality
Discography is given very brief mention, and although
erythematosus; and other collagen vascular diseases.
The overall impression is of a work covering most its diagnostic value may be limited some would place
aspects of rheumatology in more than sufficient depth for higher value on the relevance of any accompanying pain
the intended purpose. The text is clearly written, up to thatisproduced.Theplaceoflumbarepiduralvenography
to outline small lateral
date, and accurate. The reviewer's main quibble lies with is described correctly in helpinglevel,
but epidurography
the
at
L5-Sl
herniations
disc
the presentation of the book. The line illustrations, in
peridurography), which is capable of
particular, have suffered through undue reduction, (canalography,
of the spinal canal and the
and this has resulted in much detail being lost, especially outlining the lateral recesses
mentioned
except as an error
not
is
space,
epidural
sacral
diagrams
summary
showing
in the otherwise excellent
The book
technique.
injection
radiculographic
the
in
overall patterns of rheumatic involvement of specific
assisted tomography.
disease entities. The fact that more space could have been has antedated computerillustrated
volume with over 500
Access to this well
devoted to these figures is evidenced by the 9 completely
desired
be
anyone working in this
to
by
much
is
references
blank pages scattered throughout the book. A further
likely to be in the library of a
criticism regarding presentation concerns the running field, but its niche is morethan
one of rheumatology.
titles which feature prominently at the foot of each page, department of radiology
JOHN MATHEWS
and
figure
text
the
with
conflict
where they create visual
legends and constantly deceive the reader into thinking
The Craniovertebral Region in Chronic Inflammatory
they are sectional headings for material over the page .
Diseases. By Y. Dirheimer. Pp. 173. DM 98.
a
in
reasonably
covered
is
Rheumatic
matter
subject
the
Although
balanced way there are some bare areas. There is vir- Springer-Verlag: Berlin. 1977.
tually no comment on the importance of communication
monograph is a translation from the French of a
aveThis
ad
which mght
reumaoloy,
the chpte
and te
inin
might have
chapter whih
rheumatology,
detailed study of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology
the
in
manage- of the upper cervical spine and the way it is influenced by
included this, 'Psychological considerations
ment of arthritic patients', deals largely with matters more chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
diseases are ato
within the domain of the clinical psychologist. This clinic
examination and treatment are also covered.
chapter is further devalued by the use of terms such as Clinical
Perhaps the main problem with this text is its lack of
'phenomenologic approach', 'basic adjustment paraand unorthodox terminology, but this should not
fluency
digm', and 'self-actualization'-terms which will be
the fact that it is a mine of information with
obscure
rheumatologist,
average
to
the
meaningless
largely
illustrations of arthrography, anatomy, and
profuse
is
more
developed
been
could
have
which
Another area
abnormalities. The blending of clinical
radiological
a section on soft-tissue problems, which are allowed only
sometimes seems
16 pages, compared with the 163 pages allocated to more rheumatology with x-ray todiagnosis
take issue with occasional
obscure, though currently fashionable, disorders such as clumsy, and it is possible
on history and clinical examination.
disseminated lupus erythematosus and other connective points in the sections
were spotted in the references (one
errors
small
Some
tissue disorders.
by this reviewer) and the aim to
written
paper
a
to
being
The book is accompanied by a multiple choice questioncoverage leads to lack of balance in
naire which, if completed, earns the participant 18 credit provide completeexample,
generalised osteoporosis and
hours in category 1 of the Physicians' Recognition Award emphasis. For
the detail given in this
justify
scarcely
osteomalacia
multiple
The
Association.
of the American Medical
context.
choice test contains some ambiguity and dogma which
Despite these comments I think the systematic and
could probably be reduced by further piloting.
with over 400 references
The book is thought to represent a useful addition to detailed coverage of the subject
for anyone working or
desirable
book
the
to
access
make
the
for
trainee,
particularly
literature,
the rheumatological
admire the achievebut
can
one
and
area,
this
in
writing
of
presenquality
the
and despite the criticisms about
information.
useful
much
so
amassing
in
ment
of
tation, the quantity, variety and documentation
JOHN MATHEWS
material (over 200 illustrations, many tables and case
oftenraligned
exammaton
ared.
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Radiculosaccography with
Water-soluble Contrast Media
John Mathews
Ann Rheum Dis 1981 40: 216
doi: 10.1136/ard.40.2.216-b
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