Reviewer: Deepthi S Rao, MBBS (MD)(University of Kansas Medical Center)
Description: This is not just another gastrointestinal pathology atlas. It is one of the best tools in providing real-world experience more closely resembling the day-to-day sign-out with invaluable images that are less than perfect examples. The best part of the book is the generosity of the number of images (more than 1,100!) through which readers get to see the entire spectrum of findings for each pathological entity simulating a virtual rotation where you come across a multitude of cases during your sign-out and teaching sessions.
Purpose: Most traditional books offer perfectly oriented, perfectly stained, artifact-free images as examples that poorly represent the real world sign-out examples and, thus, fail to capture the true spectrum of what one encounters on a daily basis. In contrast, this book offers an unusual experience where the images are carefully chosen to reflect real-world practice with rather messy, scanty, squished examples (in addition to the ideal examples) enabling readers to experience the full spectrum of non-neoplastic gastrointestinal pathology. Additionally, the authors' attempt to organize the pathological entities based on the major injury patterns is undoubtedly the best approach, given the limited repertoire of responses the luminal gastrointestinal tract poses to injuries. It enables readers to think smarter and faster with respect to the differential diagnosis. These are indeed worthy objectives and the book doesn't disappoint.
Audience: It is authored by internationally recognized gastrointestinal pathologists. It can be an invaluable tool for both pathologists in training as well as seasoned practicing pathologists.
Features: The book focuses primarily on non-neoplastic disorders of the luminal gastrointestinal tract with an emphasis on a range of unremarkable microscopic anatomy and common variations of esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon, uniquely organized by injury pattern. Subsequently, each section discusses topics like near misses, pigments, and extras. Other helpful features include "Pearls and Pitfalls" emphasizing easily missed diagnostic clues, mimics, and hazards, "Key Features" and "FAQs" that effectively summarize and discuss tips and tricks, and real-life diagnostic dilemmas from the authors' personal experiences. These can be invaluable to readers, particularly pathologists in training. The book also includes access to a downloadable ebook with features such as quick reference tabbing, highlighting, and enhanced navigation and search tools that come in handy, especially for the newer generation of pathologists and pathologists in training.
Assessment: This book goes above and beyond expectations of a gastrointestinal pathology atlas. It offers the most realistic approach to simulating the real-world sign-out experience with less than ideal images and a number of checklists, tables, sample notes, FAQs, and pointers regarding common pitfalls. It is undoubtedly one of the best additions to anyone's armamentarium of pathology books.