Advances in Medical Physics: 2006
Author: Anthony B. Wolbarst, Robert G. Zamenhof, and William R. HendeeISBN: 9781930524798
Published: 2006 | 376 pp. | eBook
Price: $ 80.00
SCOPE | June 2007
The title, Advances in Medical Physics, suggests more emphasis on recent developments than is found within the covers. However, the preface clarifies its intent. This book is the first of a biennial series aimed at helping medical physicists and other interested professionals to stay current in subfields of medical radiation science and technology other than their own. As the first of the series, volume I focuses more on providing up to date scientific and technical background than will the subsequent volumes.
Its 331 pages contain 12 chapters, each on a different topic such as CT, nuclear medicine and medical imaging infomatics. Most of them begin with a historical overview and conclude with a look towards the future. Many also include sections on quality assurance and safety. An American bias shows where regulation and legislation are discussed, notably in the mammography and ultrasound chapters.
As a non-ionising radiation physicist the ionising radiations topics are outside my areas of expertise. However the historical overviews, detailed scientific and technical background and clear illustrations made the text very accessible, and it will also be very useful for trainee medical physicists – another group at whom the book is aimed.
The chapter on medical ultrasonic imaging very thoroughly covers the general principles, instrumentation and current applications of the various imaging modes from A-mode through to power Doppler and harmonic imaging, and includes sections on bioeffects and safety. The actual ‘advances’ are covered in the final section, less than a page long. I would have expected more than a paragraph each on ultrasound CT and elastography. Future volumes will likely deliver more in this area; for example an overview of ultra-high frequency ultrasound is promised. Some chapters (e.g. MRI, molecular imaging and magnetic nerve stimulation) devote rather more space to advances, and there is a whole chapter on evolving and experimental technologies.
The different chapters are written by different people but the overall result has a very even feel with minimal repetition. Most of the overlap is between the individual topic chapters and the chapter on evolving technologies.
The book provides an excellent, up to date introduction to the areas covered. It is specifically not aimed at providing an expert with highly-detailed reviews of advances in their own field, but it certainly delivers on its aim of keeping them up to date with advances in other fields, and it would be an excellent resource for medical physics students. Because the background information will not be repeated in future volumes, anyone wanting to read about the advances in medical radiation physics to come in future volumes ought to have a copy of this first volume.
Reviewed by Angela Cotton
Southampton University Hospitals
NHS Trust