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Book Reviews
Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Disorders. 4th ed. 5 volumes. Donald Resnick, Editor, Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 2002, price $1328 CDN The White House of the United States is an architectural masterpiece that was originally designed in the late 1790s, and has evolved over the past 200 years to its current state by a series of additions and renovations, as well as a few measured deletions. In my opinion, the 4th edition of Dr. Resnick's textbook on bone and joint disorders is also a masterpiece, and it has evolved in a fashion similar to the residence for the US president. The core of the first edition is still in evidence, and because a significant portion of that information is still relevant, with its emphasis on anatomic-radiographic-pathologic correlation, there has been no need to overhaul the entire text. Rather, topics that are no longer relevant (e.g., conventional tomography, xeroradiography) have been eliminated, and newer topics (e.g., digital imaging and muscle disorders) have been added. The references for all chapters have also been updated and the text appropriately edited to reflect the new information. Compared with preceding editions, major revisions and additions of material have also been incorporated, with particular regard to magnetic resonance imaging and musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound. In the 3rd edition, for example, internal derangements of joints were covered as a single chapter in a section dealing with trauma. In the most recent edition, internal derangements of joints is a separate section that has been expanded and completely rewritten to reflect the information explosion on this subject. The original architectural concept for the White House was provided by James Hoban, who still deserves the lion's share of credit; however, the edifice that exists today also reflects the vision and expertise of numerous other individuals over time. Similarly, Dr. Resnick has sought the insights of other authorities on various aspects of MSK imaging to augment his own efforts. The new edition, for example, contains excellent chapters by new contributors discussing "Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Practical Considerations" and "Interventional Spinal Procedures." We are informed that the newest edition has been streamlined from 6 to 5 "somewhat heavier" volumes, but do not be misled. This work remains encyclopedic in scope and content, and although the text continues to be remarkably readable, it would be the exceptional person who would attempt to read it from cover to cover. Rather, as in the past, I expect to repeatedly use this latest edition as my first line of reference, and to read selectively about many specific subjects in bone and joint disease over the next few years. From my point of view, access to this text is mandatory for rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons, radiologists, and anyone else who is involved with the full spectrum of musculoskeletal imaging. JOEL RUBENSTEIN, MD, Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M4N 3MS. Vasculitis V.V Ball and S.L. Bridges Jr, Editors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002, 601 pages, price $160 US This is an overall well written and conprehensive 600 page text on the fascinating topic of vasculitis. The authorship reflects the multisystemic nature and geographic distribution of these diseases and syndromes, as it is written by rheumatologists, immunologists, nephrologists, radiologists, dermatologists, and ophthalmologists from all over the world, including the Middle Ease, Asia, and Africa. The book is divided in 4 sections. The first, which has fewer than 50 pages, focuses on basic sciences, including hypersensitivity, endothelial cell biology, and pathogenesis. Unfortunately, the presentation of these chapters is very bland, and the absence of illustrations is disappointing, as they would have greatly facilitated comprehension and retention of the concepts presented. The second section deals with clinical manifestations common to vasculitis, including individual chapters on cutaneous, ophthalmologic, pulmonary, and renal manifestations, as well as excellent chapters on oral ulcers, neuropathy, and digital ischemia. The chapters in this section are much better illustrated with photographs and figures, most of which are reproduced in color in a separate section. The third section was my favorite, with 2 very well illustrated chapters devoted to imaging studies and percutaneous interventions. These chapters are especially relevant given the increasing role of radiology in the diagnosis and management of patients with medium and large vessel vasculitis. The fourth section constitutes the bulk of the book and includes individual chapters for each vasculitic syndrome and related disorders, including the antiphospholipid syndrome. Most authors follow the same template, and each chapter is very well referenced, except for the unavoidable caveat that no article published after 1999 is cited. Clinicians will appreciate discussions on management that usually include specific recommendations on medication dosage, monitoring, and treatment duration. Overall, this is a good clinical textbook, although it fell somewhat short of my expectations. I found only a few chapters that I would recommend over recent review articles in journals or even in general rheumatology textbooks. I would have expected a much better presentation of pathophysiology concepts by making use of computer illustration technology. This being said, I believe that Drs. Ball and Bridges have reached their goal and edited a very useful text that will help physicians from all specialties to better care for their patients with these complex diseases. SIMON CARETTE, MD, FRCPC, MPhil, Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto, Division of Rheumatology, University Health Network/Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada. Textbook of Pediatric Rheumatology, 4th edition James T. Cassidy, MD, Ross E. Petty, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Editors. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 2001, 819 pages, price $284.00 Cdn. The newly published 4th edition of the Textbook of Pediatric Rheumatology is an extremely valuable publication that replaces the 3rd edition as the field's premier text. The primary authors have again produced an outstanding book that is clearly written, well organized, thoroughly researched, and fully referenced. This edition incorporates extensive revisions of the previous work and several new chapters encompassing the advances in our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying pediatric rheumatic diseases and the dramatic changes taking place in the area of therapeutics. The textbook now includes contributions from 27 international experts, in addition to the major work by the 2 primary authors. As in previous editions the text includes very readable, in-depth reviews of the major rheumatic diseases affecting children with extensive, up-to-date references. It also includes brief but valuable discussions of uncommon disorders that should be considered in children with features of possible rheumatic disease. Major changes are found in the first section of the textbook, entitled Basic Concepts. This section now includes not only a fundamental review of the musculoskeletal system, pain, and basic concepts of the immune system, but also has new chapters devoted to mediators of inflammation and genomics, reflecting the increasing importance of these areas. Two new chapters on the subjects of clinical investigations and the assessment of health status and outcome are presented in sufficient detail to give the reader basic working knowledge for the interpretation of the literature. Tables and figures, used frequently throughout the textbook, complement the text, which is usefully organized under various levels of headings. The text's readability is further enhanced by use of larger print and many photographs. In summary, the authors have succeeded in providing a comprehensive but focused review of the rheumatic diseases of childhood. The Textbook is an excellent reference for medical students, postgraduate trainees, as well as all physicians caring for children with rheumatic disease. I most highly recommend it. BIANCA A. LANG, MD, FRCPC, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada B3J 3G9 Classic Papers in Rheumatology P. Dieppe, H.R. Schumacher Jr, and F. Wollheim, Editors. London: Martin Duntz, 2002, 400 pages, price $65.00 US. In this brightly designed volume the editors selected a group of expert "surveyors" to review 27 topics in rheumatology and to pick out a small group of papers they would then annotate. This included a summary, key message, importance, strength, weakness, and relevance. The scheme works well, except for weakness. Most of the comments were: no weaknesses, too few patients, and crude techniques. What could one expect with "classic" papers? And what would a surveyor do when they list 2/6 and even 5/7 of their own papers? In this latter vein there are few of the "old history," as noted by Eric Bywaters in his pithy foreword. It's not that I miss Hippocrates or Sydenham but I did miss the clear and well written description of juvenile arthritis by George Frederick Still. There is judicious use of graphs and tables, which distinctly add to the importance of some papers. As would be expected in a multi-author book, some sections stand out because of the expertness of the selection and the comments by the section selector. They are: Sjögren's syndrome, crystal deposition diseases, back pain, association of other systemic diseases with arthropathies, and exercise and rehabilitation in arthritis. Recently there was a paper questioning the eponymous distinction given Hans Reiter in naming the syndrome of arthritis, urethritis, and/or conjunctivitis. The surveyor's discussion is clear and well considered. It was based on the prior description of this syndrome by the French physicians Feissinger and Leroy, the erroneous description of a spirochaete in his patient by Reiter, and the revelation that Reiter had concealed his past as a war criminal. The volume is a bit big for bedside reading but deserves to be handy at deskside for a quick dip. It will appeal to rheumatologists from Fellows to those who might say, "I remember that paper!" For physicians contemplating rheumatology, this is a good introduction to a fascinating and wide-ranging specialty, particularly since its cost is not excessive. JOHN BAUM, MD, MACR, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. Principles of Bone Biology, 2nd Edition John P. Bilezikian, Lawrence G. Raisz, Gideon A. Rodan, editors, San Diego: Academic Press, 2002, 1696 pages, price $399.95 US. This second edition follows the first only 5 years later to incorporate the many advances in this field. It has been expanded to a 2 volume, 4 part text that serves as a comprehensive resource for scientists and clinicians involved in the fields of bone biology, metabolic bone disease, and osteoporosis. Part I encompasses reviews on the cell biology of osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and their precursors; the biochemistry of collagen, bone matrix proteins; and the role of minerals, hormones, and local regulators of bone remodeling. This is organized into 6 sections with appropriate depth given to each topic. For example, 7 chapters are devoted to parathyroid hormone and its related proteins and peptides, 3 chapters to vitamin D, and 4 chapters to calcitonin. Nineteen chapters in Part II detail the clinical expression of metabolic bone diseases and their pathophysiology. Twelve chapters in Part III examine the pharmacologic basis of current and new targets for therapeutic strategies. The last 10 chapters in Part IV are dedicated to research tools such as radiographic techniques, molecular approaches to genetics, bone markers, and animal models that have enhanced rapid advancements in bone biology and metabolic bone disease. The text in each of the 47 chapters is 6 to 12 pages in length in addition to copious references. Chapters are easily understood and organized so that each topic, as intended by the editors, flows well to the next. It is hoped that future editions will incorporate more color diagrams and figures and be available in a CD ROM format to allow portability. VIVIAN P. BYKERK, MD, FRCPC, University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada.
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