Emergency Radiology: Case Studies, D.T. Schwartz. McGraw Hill (2008), 559 pages, $155.00 ISBN 0071409173

Ma OJ, Mateer JR, Blaivas M McGraw-Hill Professional, 2007 562 pages, $129.00 ISBN 007147904X The impressive growth of ultrasound in emergency medicine compels the emergency physician to find a valuable reference for learning and practicing its skills. Such skills enhance their ability to decrease adverse effects from procedures, improve diagnostic capabilities, and monitor patient status. The quest to develop these skills requires an expansive source of clear, concise, and valuable information. Emergency Ultrasound is a near comprehensive text for the emergency physician that meets these requirements. It discusses the basics of the art of ultrasound for the novice such as the physics behind its use, how to improve imaging, the different types of probes and their uses, and anatomy in ultrasound. For the experienced ultrasonographer it adds more complex applications such as different Doppler techniques, ultrasound in procedures, and endotracheal intubation confirmation. The important subjects for emergency medicine are covered in detail. These include the focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examination, evaluating for gallstones, pericardial effusion, and intrauterine pregnancy. The background behind these techniques is described as well as their indications and pitfalls. An approach to using them and the techniques for mastering each is also given. Some less common procedures are described as well. Evaluating for vitreous hemorrhage, ocular foreign body, fractures, and pneumothorax are but a few of the topics that are covered. Each chapter has clear photographs, illustrations, and diagrams that contribute to the understanding of the principles being discussed. Plentiful high quality sonograms serve as examples to the discussions and reinforce the applications and techniques that are talked through. The book includes a DVD that is full of videos of the more common parts of ultrasound used in the emergency department. It talks the listener through the techniques and gives live images of the patient with the probe as well as the sonographic video. The video helps to illuminate the orientation and spatial changes that occur while doing ultrasound. My own confidence in doing peripheral vein cannulation grew after reading the vascular access chapter. I learned of the advantages and disadvantages to holding the probe in a transverse versus a longitudinal orientation. It gave at least 2 illustrations to give special understanding of this and then it enhanced the technique by showing quality sonograms as examples of what should be seen during the procedure. Photographs giving the actual orientation of the probes and anatomy were also included. The several photographs, illustrations, and sonograms enhanced the discussion and made the overall understanding of the technique very simple. With the growth of ultrasound and how easy it makes certain procedures and diagnostic capabilities it is hard to believe we practiced emergency medicine without it. This text gives clear guidance and understanding of the many procedures and possibilities that will ensure a safer and more productive practice of emergency medicine. It is a valuable resource that should be a part of every emergency physician’s library.