Imaging Atlas of the Pelvic Floor and Anorectal Diseases (2008)

Imaging is now central to the investigation and management of anorectal and pelvic floor disorders. This has been brought about by technical developments in imaging, notably, three-dimensional ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allow high anatomical resolution and tissue differentiation to be presented in a most usable fashion. Three-dimensional endosonography in anorectal conditions and MRI in anal fistula are two obvious developments, but there are others, with dynamic st- ies of the pelvic floor using both ultrasound and MRI coming to the fore. This atlas provides an easy way to gain a detailed understanding of imaging in this field. The atlas is divided into four sections covering the basic anatomy, anal/perianal disease, rectal/perirectal disease and functional assessment. One of the difficulties with developing an atlas is to strike the right balance - tween text and images. Too much text and it is not an atlas; too little text and the - ages may not be understood. The editors of this atlas are to be congratulated on achi- ing an appropriate balance. The images are all that one expects from an atlas, and the diagrams are excellent. The commentaries at the end of invited chapters are a valuable addition, placing what are relatively short, focussed chapters into context. They add balance and depth to the work and are well worth reading.