Small Animal MRI by Patrick R. Gavin

The book fell apart the first time I opened it. Every time I open or turn a page more pages just fall out. Treated very gingerly and opened on table lightly, but pages are just very lightly attached; horrible binding. The content may be good, but doesn't matter; it is not useful as a functional reference on a daily or weekly basis as the pages just keep falling out. Do not spend money on this unless/until the binding issue is resolved.

Practical Small Animals MRI is the seminal reference for clinicians using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of veterinary patients. Although MRI is used most frequently in the diagnosis of neurologic disorders, it also has significant application to other body systems. This book covers normal anatomy and specific clinical conditions of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, abdomen, thorax, and head and neck. It also contains several chapters on disease of the brain and spine, including inflammatory, infectious, neoplastic, and vascular diseases, alongside congenital and degenerative disorders.

“The two authors, a radiologist and a neurologist, supported by two other contributors, each have over 20 years’ experience in MRI contrast agent, and this is borne out by the huge amount of information and images presented.” (Veterinary Record, May 2010)

“A fascinating insight into the field; the text is well-written and extremely detailed…. invaluable as an introduction to principles of the physics of MRI and the challenges of producing diagnostic images without artifacts, and as a reference for use in clinical situations.” (Veterinary Practice, April 2010)

“The extensive experience of the authors combined with a comprehensive review of the literature published on small animal MRI imaging make this the most comprehensive text on this subject…. the image quality is excellent.” (VCOT, 2009)
Practical Small Animal MRI is the seminal reference for clinicians using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of veterinary patients. Although MRI is used most frequently in the diagnosis of neurologic disorders, it also has significant application to other body systems. This book covers normal anatomy and specific clinical conditions of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, abdomen, thorax, and head and neck.

Practical Small Animal MRI provides extensive coverage of the nervous system, with several chapters on diseases of the brain and spine, including inflammatory, infectious, neoplastic, and vascular diseases, alongside congenital and degenerative disorders. Specific chapters also cover orthopedic conditions and other diseases of the head and neck, including nasal cavity and optic region, as well as abdominal and thoracic examinations. Introductory chapters provide basic information on the physics of magnetic resonance imaging and equipment selection. With more than 1,000 images, Practical Small Animal MRI is a must-have resource for veterinary radiologists, neurologists, surgeons, oncologists, internists, and all veterinarians using MR imaging in small animals.

First specialist reference devoted solely to the practical use of MRI
Coverage of normal anatomy and specific clinical conditions of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, abdomen, thorax, and head and neck
Introductory chapters provide basic information on the physics of magnetic resonance imaging and equipment selection
More than 1,000 images

I purchased the book for my boyfriend as a gift. He’s an MRI tech/Vet tech for a veterinary neurology practice. He really enjoys the book and says that it is exactly what he needed. He thinks the content is well written and has helped him with MRI scanning. His only complaint is that in three months the book is falling apart. This isn’t a book that gets throw around or misused. Half of the neurology chapter has fallen out of the book along with some other pages. Considering the cost of the book this is very surprising. At this rate this book may not last a year. Not sure if it’s just his copy or if others have had the same experience. Unfortunately, because of this experience I can not recommend getting the hardcover version of this book.

Atlas of Small Animal CT & MRI is a highly illustrated guide to the common clinical disorders of dogs and cats that are now routinely diagnosed using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. This invaluable new resource features a wealth of high-quality CT and MRI images and includes relevant radiographic, ultrasonographic, endoscopic, and gross pathology images, offering a unique approach emphasizing comparative imaging and pathologic correlation.

The book is organized by anatomical region with subsections focusing on specific anatomical sites or disorders—from the head, neck, brain and spine to the thorax, abdomen, and musculoskeletal system. The accompanying text emphasizes important imaging features focusing on what is important to the diagnosis of disease. Where helpful to the imaging diagnosis, information related to disease etiopathology, non-imaging diagnostic procedures, and treatment is also included. 

Essential for specialists in training and qualified specialists in the fields of small animal veterinary diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, and surgery. Also of interest to those in general veterinary practice who commonly refer patients for CT and MRI examinations.

This atlas represents a comprehensive compilation of cross-sectional (computed tomography, CT, and magnetic resonance, MR) images of normal anatomy and a wide range of pathologic conditions in dogs and cats. The book is logically structured into 6 sections (head and neck, brain, spine, thorax, abdomen and musculoskeletal system). A brief introduction and literature review at the beginning of each chapter provides an excellent and concise overview over relevant normal findings, anatomic variations, and pathologic lesions to be covered in the following imaging part. Multiple images are provided for each topic, often including both CT and MRI contrast agent images in various window settings and sequences, multiplanar reconstructions and 3-D volume rendered images of the same animal. Additionally, in many instances endoscopic, intra-operative or gross pathology images are provided along with CT and MR images of a given case, allowing clinical correlation. This is certainly the most comprehensive collection of normal and abnormal CT and MR images in small animal veterinary patients available to date. It does not only include examples of common diseases (e.g., nasal carcinoma or pituitary carcinoma) but also uncommon conditions cross sectional images of which are not easily found in the existing literature (e.g., effects of radiation on the brain or renal secondary parathyroidism). The book is beautifully produced, easy to follow, and the image quality is simply outstanding. Another review mentioned problems with the spine/binding – My copy is flawless, so I did not have the same experience. This atlas is a most valuable resource not only for veterinary radiologists and radiology residents but also for other specialists utilizing cross-sectional imaging (neurologist, internists, surgeons, (radiation) oncologists etc.), for private practitioners with access to CT or Small Animals MRI, and for veterinary students seeking correlation between diagnostic imaging and pathologic findings. I very much enjoyed reading this book, and I would give it my highest recommendations. It is an absolute must-have for anybody interested in cross-sectional imaging in dogs and cats.