Imaging of the Cervical Spine in Children

Dr. Leonard Swischuk, who is recognized for authoring several superb and widely read pediatric radiology textbooks, has produced yet another outstanding work on the important subject of imaging the cervical spine in children. A distinguished pediatric radiologist, he draws upon his extensive experience in the field and his gift for writing clear and readable text to provide practitioners with an insightful approach to pediatric cervical spine injuries. Those who work in trauma imaging will appreciate the wealth of practical guidelines contained in this thorough yet concise book. Dr. Swischuk's text is organized into six chapters. The first two discuss developmental anatomy and normal variants. Chapters three and four concentrate on congenital anomalies and on abnormalities of the dens. The final two chapters consider trauma and miscellaneous abnormalities of the cervical spine. The book has several notable strengths that are appealing to radiology residents, such as its succinct and well-organized overview of the topic. To help residents identify cases that they are likely to encounter during board exams and in practice, Dr. Swischuk selected excellent plain film examples from his personal collection that illustrate the conditions he discusses and reflect his emphasis on cervical radiography. The illustrated cases also include CT and MR images that clarify and qualify the plain film findings. Helpful reference lists complete each chapter and guide residents to resources for further reading. In addition, Dr. Swischuk’s direct writing style makes the complex content highly accessible, providing imaging residents with an invaluable introduction to pediatric cervical spine radiology.