Includes Index

This work presents the entire urogenital system in a methodical and thorough fashion.
It is a highly topical book given that the progress achieved by diagnostic imaging in
this body system has profoundly changed our way of operating and examining
urogenital disease.
The most evident example of this change in diagnostic imaging is intravenous
urography. Until a few years ago this technique was considered the reference
examination for many renal and urinary tract diseases, whereas today it has largely
been replaced by ultrasonography, CT urography and MR urography.
This is not to suggest that urography has completely disappeared from the
radiologic scene, because its imaging characteristics can be transferred to CT
urography and MR urography. It is however clear that the CT and MR studies are able
to provide – in a single examination – information regarding the renal parenchyma
and the collecting system, the adjacent organs and structures, and functional and
vascular characteristics, all of which cannot be captured in a simple urographic
examination.
This change has come about not only in intravenous urography, but also in other
forms of imaging of the urinary tract, such as antegrade and retrograde pyelography,
which today is limited to only a few and principally interventional or intraoperative
applications. However, the most important change in the imaging of the urogenital
system, as with other organs and systems, is the broadening of the diagnostic imaging
spectrum. Today the radiologist is involved on a number of fronts, from diagnosis –
intended as the identification of a lesion, its characterization and, in the case of
oncologic disease, its staging – to prognosis and follow-up. Added to these are
functional evaluations such as can be obtained with Doppler ultrasonography,
spectroscopy and dynamic studies with contrast media.
In this work Olivetti and Grazioli manage to provide thorough and up-dated
information on all of these aspects, with a highly topical and modern interpretation
of contemporary radiology of the urogenital system.
The book is divided into nine sections, beginning with the anatomy of the urinary
tract which is accompanied by excellent illustrations, some of which can be found in
the later chapters. The presentation of normal anatomy is followed by radiologic
anatomy, which includes urography, angiography, standard ultrasonography, color
Doppler and contrast enhanced ultrasonography, computed tomography complete
with CT urography, magnetic resonance with MR angiography and MR urography.
This is followed by chapters on the normal human anatomy and radiologic anatomy
of the male and female reproductive systems which, are organized in the same way as
the previous chapters.
The following sections deal with clinical features and imaging of the various organs
and systems. Particularly worthwhile in terms of content and images are the sections
dedicated to malformations, lithiasis, and renal and urinary tract neoplasms. In the
oncologic setting special attention is paid to the problems associated with tumor
recurrences in the male and female reproductive systems. Similarly interesting and topical is the section on female pelvic floor dysfunction and its evaluation with new
technologies. The last section deals with interventional radiology in its various forms
and includes chapters on biopsies, the treatment of varicocele, drainage and
embolization.
My sincere congratulations go to Olivetti and Grazioli for this fine book which
clearly reflects not only their professionalism, but also their passion and enthusiasm
for our discipline.