Radioguided Surgery

From The Critics

Reviewer: James R. Howe, MD(University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics)
Description: This handbook is designed to aid those practicing in the new field of radioguided surgery. Three main areas are covered and a discussion of techniques, rationale, nuclear medicine, and pathology is provided.
Purpose: The objective is to provide the basis and technical details of specific applications in the evolving field of radioguided surgery. Most of the contributors are well-known practitioners of these methods, and this book provides an overview which is thorough, convenient. and easy to read.
Audience: It is intended for surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, residents, and students.
Features: The components of a radioguided surgery program are discussed first, and important issues such as IRB approval, case scheduling, purchasing probes, data collection, and billing are well-covered. An excellent review of principles of radiation physics follows, including radiation detection, use of gamma probes, and radiation safety. Recommendations for training and credentialing are discussed, including the problem of lack of formal certification procedures. Applications for melanoma are covered in several well-written chapters focused on the scientific basis of sentinel node mapping, surgical technique, lymphoscintigraphy, and pathologic evaluation. There are two technical chapters on breast cancer, one using blue dye plus radiocolloid, and the other blue dye alone. Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is concisely summarized, lymphoscintigraphy and pathology are covered in detail, and there are a few esoteric chapters (non-melanoma skin cancer, carcinoma of the vulva, and localization of bone lesions). The attention paid to providing fine technical details is commendable in all chapters, and augmented by lymphoscintigrams, intraoperative photos, photomicrographs, algorithms, and line drawings. Deficiencies include a rudimentary index, no discussion of radioimmunoguided surgery, and color photographs relegated to an appendix.
Assessment: This is a compact, authoritative, and comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of radioguided surgery. It is intended for practicing surgeons, but will also be useful for pathologists, radiologists, residents, and students. It will be especially helpful for those attempting to establish radioguided surgery programs, and fills a void for practitioners in this increasingly important area of surgery.

James R. Howe

This handbook is designed to aid those practicing in the new field of radioguided surgery. Three main areas are covered and a discussion of techniques, rationale, nuclear medicine, and pathology is provided. The objective is to provide the basis and technical details of specific applications in the evolving field of radioguided surgery. Most of the contributors are well-known practitioners of these methods, and this book provides an overview which is thorough, convenient. and easy to read. It is intended for surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, residents, and students. The components of a radioguided surgery program are discussed first, and important issues such as IRB approval, case scheduling, purchasing probes, data collection, and billing are well-covered. An excellent review of principles of radiation physics follows, including radiation detection, use of gamma probes, and radiation safety. Recommendations for training and credentialing are discussed, including the problem of lack of formal certification procedures. Applications for melanoma are covered in several well-written chapters focused on the scientific basis of sentinel node mapping, surgical technique, lymphoscintigraphy, and pathologic evaluation. There are two technical chapters on breast cancer, one using blue dye plus radiocolloid, and the other blue dye alone. Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is concisely summarized, lymphoscintigraphy and pathology are covered in detail, and there are a few esoteric chapters (non-melanoma skin cancer, carcinoma of the vulva, and localization of bone lesions). The attention paid to providing fine technical details is commendable in all chapters, and augmented bylymphoscintigrams, intraoperative photos, photomicrographs, algorithms, and line drawings. Deficiencies include a rudimentary index, no discussion of radioimmunoguided surgery, and color photographs relegated to an appendix. This is a compact, authoritative, and comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of radioguided surgery. It is intended for practicing surgeons, but will also be useful for pathologists, radiologists, residents, and students. It will be especially helpful for those attempting to establish radioguided surgery programs, and fills a void for practitioners in this increasingly important area of surgery.

Booknews

A handbook for practicing clinicians, focusing on radioguided surgical procedures, including sentinel node mapping and biopsy for breast and other cancers. Covers organizational aspects of radioguided surgery programs, radiation safety, and training and credentials, then examines scientific support for the sentinel lymph node concept, and describes techniques for biopsy, mapping, lymphadenectomy, lymphoscintigraphy, and pathological examination of sentinel lymph nodes. Includes b&w and color photos. Whitman is the director of The Melanoma Center in Saint Louis, Missouri. Reintgen is associated with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and the University of South Florida. Wire ring binding, 5x8<">. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

3 Stars from Doody