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Show Book Reviews Electrodiagnostic Testing of the Visual System: A Clinical Guide, by Ronald E. Carr and Irwin M. Siegel. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1990, 188 pp, $ 55.00. It is an unnatural instinct for a neuroophthalmologist to pull a textbook reviewing electrodiagnostic testing of the visual system off of the library bookshelf. However, Drs. Carr and Siegel have convinced me that a walk down an electrodiagnostic pathway can be very interesting and, in fact, critical in diagnosis of neuro- ophthalmologic problems. The authors have organized this textbook into three sections, the first being basic concepts and methods of using the electroretinogram ( ERG), various types of ERG, as well as the use of visualevoked cortical potentials. The second section is directly related to clinical applications, with thorough discussions of various types of retinopathies, their clinical presentation and the use of electrodiagnostic testing to aid in diagnosis. The last section is a very helpful but technical collection of appendices reviewing technical data of the ERG, as well as color vision testing. I have never read a more direct and concise approach to the clinical applications of electroretinography, including specific discussions on the focal and pattern ERG. What I particularly liked were the clinical cases that were presented in association with their accompanying electroretinogram findings. The authors did a very good job in the clinical section of the book in not only reviewing the electrodiagnostic characteristics of specific retinal diseases, but also the typical presentations of funduscopic appearance. Although the photographs were not in color, they were quite characteristic of each disease process. Although I am not a big fan of the usage of visual- evoked cortical potentials, I found the authors to be quite fair in their assessment of this particular test, and in general I agreed with their use in a clinical setting of the YEP. Although most clinicians do not actually perform the ERGs and VEPs themselves, after reading this textbook, one will become convinced that it is critical to review each wave- form yourself to be sure the interpretation is correct for your particular clinical setting. 64 . t. 1992 Raven Press, Ltd., New York In summary, I think Drs. Carr and Siegel have written a very concise, thorough, and interesting book that is quite clinically oriented concerning the practical use of electrodiagnostic testing of . both the retina and optic nerve. It IS hIgh on my hst of recommended reading and should be readily available as a reference text on the true usefulness of the ERG and YEP. Bradley K. Farris, M. D. University of Oklahoma Department of Medicine Dean A. McGee Eye Institute Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Radiology of the Eye and Orbit, by Thomas H. Newton and Larissa T. Bilaniuk, New York: Raven Press, 1990, 320 pp, $ 115.00 This book provides an excellent pictorial review of every conceivable intraocular and orbital pathological process as viewed with magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI), computerized axial tomography ( CT), and ultrasonography. Although somewhat redundant in the MRI and CAT scan discussions of orbital and ocular anatomy provided in different chapters, the discussions do give an excellent review of basic normal anatomy as compared to pathological processes. The textbook is broken down into separate chapters for MRI of ocular anatomy, orbital anatomy, ocular pathology, and orbital pathology, as well as its CT counterparts. There is also a nice chapter on ocular and orbital sonography. I think all of the contributing authors have done a good job in providing extensive review of all types of ocular and orbital pathology and their illustrated appearance on any of these three radiologic techniques. This textbook should not be considered a guide or an algorithm in the clinical work- up and pursuit of neuroradiologic studies for a specific disease entity. It is more a collection of excellent illustrated examples of what certain types of ocular and orbital pathology look like when viewed with MRI, CT, or ultrasound techniques. I am not sure it was the intent of the authors to direct the reader as to BOOK REVIEWS 65 what type of neuroradiologic technique would be most favorable for a specific disease entity, and it certainly was not clear after reading the book. In addition, although the figures were quite clear and excellent, it would have helped orient the reader to have right and left designation on each scan. Conspicuous by its absence was a discussion of ultrasound of optic nerve edema, including the 30degree text, as well as the extensive use of the MRI in demyelinative states and optic neuritis. On the other hand, there was an overabundance of excellent illustrations on nonspecific orbital inflammatory diseases, but fewer on thyroid eye disease. Aside from those minor complaints, when this textbook is used as an excellent source of illustra-tive appearances of a multitude of disease processes, it is most valuable. I particularly liked the MRI and CT discussions on orbital and ocular trauma. I think the reader will not only enjoy the photographic illustrations of the various neuroradiologic pictures, but also the excellent clinicopathological discussions of each disease process aside from its neuroradiologic appearance. Bradley K. Farris, M. D. University of Oklahoma Department of Medicine Dean A. McGee Eye Institute Oklahoma City, Oklahoma I Clill Neuro- ophthalmol. Vol. 12, No. 1, 1992 |