CT of the Airways
The present issue of the European Respiratory Review strongly emphasises the relevance of small airways disease in respiratory medicine. This fascinating topic is fast-growing and certainly represents a key aspect of current respiratory research. As stated by P.J. Sterk and E.H. Bel in their editorial, there is a big challenge with small airways! Thus, it is timely to investigate novel tools that can accurately evaluate airway anatomy and function in health and disease, as well as responses to therapy.
Imaging of the airways is the focus of the textbook CT of the Airways edited by P.M. Boiselle and D.A. Lynch. Imaging of the airways is a true art in medicine and this book is certainly an important help to any health professional requiring up-to-date information.
The introductory section of the book addresses airway anatomy and physiology, as well as pathology. The fi ve chapters in this section are an excellent introduction to the fi eld. The second part of the book discusses very important and challenging large airway conditions that are a major burden, including tracheobronchial stenosis, neoplasms, tracheobronchomalacia and bronchiectasis. The third section encompasses major small airway conditions, such as asthma, infectious diseases and bronchiolitis, noninfectious small airway diseases, obliterative bronchiolitis, and smokingrelated small airway and interstitial lung diseases. The last section is devoted to paediatric airway disorders.
This collaborative project is certainly a great success and the authors should be congratulated for producing a high-quality document which we are delighted to recommend.
- ©ERS 2011