Most textbooks shy away from controversy. They don't know how to or don't want to deal with it. Who better to discuss the controversial topics than a long time practitioner with a wealth of clinical experience. Both sides of the controversies will be discussed, but an opinion on how to handle these issues will be given. Discussion of "economic referrals", problems with self-referral, and the general economics of practice are included.
ALL EIGHT VOLUMES ARE COMPLETED AND AVAILABLE. TOGETHER, THEY FORM A COMPLETE GENERAL NUCLEAR MEDICINE TEXTBOOK.
ONE of the latest volumes focuses on the RISE EXAM. We all know that the Core Examination in Radiology is focused deeply on radiation safety, NRC regulations, and NM physics and instrumentation. This volume gives a very indepth review of Nuclear Medicine instrumentation (from an author who has been deeply involved with instrument design for decades). (Take it or leave it: read the whole volume, or focus down on the NRC regulations, the “hot lab” function and rules, how to receive a radioactive package, the transport rules, or how to handle a spill). My residents have always complained that there isn’t one place to get this info. NOW THERE IS!
The ENDOCRINE volume is quite important. There is almost no topic more controversial than thyroidology. The America Thyroid Association has guidelines that are highly divergent than the experience of most “old school” Nuclear physicians. You need to know both sides of all the controversies. Thyroid cancer is a very forgiving disease. It will take decades of research to answer these controversies (and if this ever does occur, it will be long after I’m gone). I find this volume to be “illuminating” and a very interesting read. It also reviews the current role of DOTATATE PET-CT. It is a very important volume that I highly recommend.
Probably one of the most unique volumes is the GI scintigraphy volume. I have been an innovative and very unique GI radiologist and nuclear physician for almost 40 years, and much in this volume is unique “tribal knowledge” acquired from decades of active research, development, and clinical practice. Of all the volumes, this one is the most uniquely “Drane”. (As my fellows would say: “There is nukes, and then there is DRANE nukes”). I hope you will read it.
Despite all the esoteric topics, it is like the skeletal scintigraphy volume that I’m most proud of. Bone/MSK is one of the toughest areas of radiology and nuclear medicine, and this volume gives a very detailed breakdown of the practice and differential diagnoses. It is likely the most valuable of all the volumes.
IT IS HARD TO FIND THESE BOOKS ON-LINE:
They are available in the IBOOKS library. You need to use the iBooks App (either on iPad, iPhone, Mac, or using the app on PC). If you search under “Clinical Nuclear Medicine”, you will find the books.