Interventional radiological treatment of liver tumors, A. Adam & P. R. Mueller, Cambridge University Press, Hardback 978-0-521-88687-1, 2009, GBP 45.00, 217 p.
This book is organized in eleven chapters and is among other images, including a section of color illustrations. In the introduction the authors point out that the liver is the organ most frequently involved in malignant disease. Surgical treatment, the only curable option, has its own chapter in the book. Since less than 20% of the patients are suitable for surgery, the other treatment methods are very important. Management of patients with liver malignancy is based on a multidisciplinary work of oncologists, pathologists, surgeons and radiologists. The first two chapters describe the clinical care and the pathology of liver malignancies. The altered pathological features for HCC in different stages are well described, but pathology of liver metastases could be more comprehensive.
Most of the available treatments require a thorough knowledge of accessible imaging methods, which are well described in the book. The authors stress the importance of careful pre-treatment imaging. However contrast enhanced ultrasound is not mentioned at all in the first chapter as a sensitive, fairly inexpensive and easily available method for tumor detection.
The available alternative radiological methods as PEI (percutanous ethanol injection), TACE (trans arterial chemoembolization), TAE (trans arterial embolization), radioembolization, cryotherapy and especially RFA (radio frequency ablation), are well described. Less used high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment has an own chapter, whereas some of the newly introduced and promising treatment methods such as tumor embolization with drug-eluting beads, are only briefly reported. Other new techniques, as for instance microwave ablation or electroporation are not mentioned at all.
In an era of rapid technological development and evolving alternative treatment methods, this book may be very useful in radiological, surgical and oncological departments. A difficulty though is to be fully updated on the subject. Inger Keussen, Senior consultant Department of Radiology Lund University Hospital S-221 85 Lund Sweden [email protected]