The Sorcerer's Apprentice: How Medical Imaging Is Changing Health Care Review

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(More customer reviews)This 250-page book, written by two University of Virginia professors, one a radiologist-MD, and the other a public health PhD, is a virtual enclyclopedia focusing exclusively on radiology imaging. Traditional X-ray (radiography, Mammography (breast), Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance (MRI), Positon-Emission Tomography (PET), Ultrasound (sonography), and Nuclear Medicine (radioisotope scanning) are all covered in depth. The authors begin with a detailed history of the origin and development of each one of these imaging techniques, then describe how they are performed, and for what medical conditions they are best suitable. In plain conversational and every-day language, the authors explain to patients -- current and future (almost everyone will fall into one of these categories), what they can expect, beginning with the ordering of the exam by their primary care doctor, what if any pre-test preparation the patient must undergo, how the patient is positioned during the test, and the average duration of the exam.
But, in addition to the medical aspects of medical imaging, the authors do not shy away from its political, financial, and business aspects. Such topics as self-referral by referring physicians, the value (or lack of value) of screening tests, and teleradiology are discussed. The last part of the book is devoted to a probably realistic view of what the future holds for imaging; the authors "take" us to the year 2036, and predict the type of imaging, and how it will be used to diagnose and treat disease.
Why do the authors title the book "The Sorcerer's Apprentice?" In that story, a magician's apprentice brings household items to life, and then loses control of what he has created. Will medical imaging spin out of control as well, the authors rhetorically ask? All of us -- physicians and current or potential patients alike -- can find the answer, and at the same time benefit tremendously --by reading this book.

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