Clinical MR neuroimaging: diffusion, perfusion and spectroscopy

Congratulations to the editors on delivering a book that bridges a gap in the market, addressing both the technical aspects of diffusion, perfusion and spectroscopy and their clinical applications. While these functional techniques were initially used as research tools, they are now becoming more widely available for routine clinical use, necessitating a core knowledge for those involved in neuroimaging. As higher field magnet systems become more widespread, this coincides with a further improvement in these techniques, offering them further scope as either research or clinical tools. Neuroimaging is clearly expanding from a simple structural basis into functional imaging and this has necessitated a book that addresses these changes. This detailed text offers chapters from a wide range of eminent authors from both sides of the Atlantic as well as further a field. The first section offers technical chapters on techniques of diffusion, perfusion and spectroscopy. There then follows a series of sections addressing different brain pathologies, include chapters on cerebrovascular disease, neoplasia, demyelination, seizures, psychiatric disease, trauma and paediatrics, among others. Interspersed are a number of attractively presented case studies, which provide a good starting point for the novice to learn about the potential clinical applications of these functional techniques. The editors have tried to appeal to a number of different markets including radiology, clinical, physics and basic=applied science, for whom functional MR techniques offers either research or direct clinical application. I can highly recommend this book to those wishing to learn more about the technical aspects and clinical applications of diffusion, perfusion and spectroscopy. Without doubt this book show be in the library of neuroimaging centres.