Emergency Diagnostic Testing: Interpreting Diagnos

From The Critics

Reviewer: Cai Glushak, MD, FACEP(University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine)
Description: The editors, who are respected, extensively published authorities in emergency medicine, offer a much-needed second edition (first published in 1984) of a book describing the approach to diagnostic emergency testing. They place an emphasis on cost effectiveness and sensitivity and specificity of tests.
Purpose: Their purpose is to provide a comprehensive overview of currently available emergency diagnostic tests and specific advice on their indications and usefulness.
Audience: Although the editors intend the material to be helpful for medical students, emergency residents, and practitioners, it is of greatest use to emergency department physicians with some experience. The focused description of tests requires some fundamental knowledge of their purpose. They have selected contributors based on their specialty expertise as well as their appreciation of the specific needs of emergency medicine practitioners.
Features: The contents are organized into two general sections: frequently ordered tests and an organ systems approach. The authors provide valuable brief descriptions of the test procedures and mechanics as well as applicable pathophysiology. Discussion is limited to the components of tests relevant to emergency conditions (e.g., cytology on body fluids is not covered). Special, well-chosen topics include routine admissions testing, medical-legal issues, decision analysis, and needlestick exposures. I found the use of illustrative cases to be inconsistent and of little teaching value, as was the too brief summary of radiologic tests. The references are current, pertinent, and well researched. The index is detailed and adequately covers the material.
Assessment: Given the nearly impossible task of distilling an enormous topic into a useful desk reference, the authors successfully present a highly practical and well-grounded text. It unfortunately lacks sections on AIDS and immunocompromised patients and geriatrics. It is otherwise very usable and should be a part of every emergency department's library.

Cai Glushak

The editors, who are respected, extensively publishedauthorities in emergency medicine, offer a much-needed second edition(first published in 1984) of a book describing the approach todiagnostic emergency testing. They place an emphasis on costeffectiveness and sensitivity and specificity of tests. Their purposeis to provide a comprehensive overview of currently available emergencydiagnostic tests and specific advice on their indications andusefulness. Although the editors intend the material to be helpfulfor medical students, emergency residents, and practitioners, it is ofgreatest use to emergency department physicians with some experience.The focused description of tests requires some fundamental knowledge oftheir purpose. They have selected contributors based on their specialtyexpertise as well as their appreciation of the specific needs ofemergency medicine practitioners. The contents are organized into twogeneral sections: frequently ordered tests and an organ systemsapproach. The authors provide valuable brief descriptions of the testprocedures and mechanics as well as applicable pathophysiology.Discussion is limited to the components of tests relevant to emergencyconditions (e.g., cytology on body fluids is not covered). Special,well-chosen topics include routine admissions testing, medical-legalissues, decision analysis, and needlestick exposures. I found the useof illustrative cases to be inconsistent and of little teaching value,as was the too brief summary of radiologic tests. The references arecurrent, pertinent, and well researched. The index is detailed andadequately covers the material. Given the nearly impossible task ofdistilling an enormous topic into a useful deskreference, the authorssuccessfully present a highly practical and well-grounded text. Itunfortunately lacks sections on AIDS and immunocompromised patients andgeriatrics. It is otherwise very usable and should be a part of everyemergency department's library.

4 Stars! from Doody