Description

This is the third edition of this excellent book. There have been many changes since the previous editions: disease classifications have been updated, new Figures added and the inclusion of photographs of some of the newer diagnostic techniques is relevant and welcome.

The atlas is arranged in 18 chapters, including one chapter of reference values and one illustrating artefacts frequently seen in neonatal and paediatric blood films and marrow aspirates. There is a nice balance of common and rare disorders, the relative emphasis on uncommon disorders being entirely appropriate since it is these which generally cause the most difficult diagnostic problems, perhaps especially for adult haematologists. The chapters on storage disorders and congenital red cell disorders are particularly good.

The book is clearly laid out and extremely easy to follow. The photomicro graphs are accompanied in many cases by short, succinct descriptions of pertinent additional diagnostic and clinical information which should be helpful for trainees or nonspecialists.

The quality of the photographs is fairly high and certainly more than adequate to be useful for diagnostic and examination purposes.

Although the atlas is comprehensive with respect to paediatric haematology, the section on neonatal and perinatal disorders was very short and so likely to be of limited practical value for diagnostic purposes in real life. This is my only criticism: perhaps not a valid one since neonatal and fetal haematology probably deserves a separate atlas!

I would suggest that this atlas is acquired by all laboratories in which blood films and marrows from children and neonates are examined; it is the best of its kind.