Bottom Line: This textbook can be recommended for mul-tidisciplinary health care professionals and gastroenterologistsas a comprehensive review of nutrition and metabolism duringhealth and illness. It provides important findings from recentclinical investigations in specialized nutrition support andexcellent state-of-the art information on practical aspects ofenteral and parenteral nutrition support in clinical practice.

CONCEPCION FERNANDEZ–ESTIVARIZ, M.D.THOMAS R. ZIEGLER, M.D.Center for Clinical and Molecular NutritionDepartment of MedicineEmory University School of MedicineAtlanta, Georgia

Hepatobiliary Diseases. Pathophysiology and Imaging. Editedby Kunio Okuda, Donald G. Mitchell, Yuji Itai, and JoeAriyana. 764 pp. $275.00. Blackwell Science, London, 2001.ISBN 0-632-05542-1. Web address for ordering: www.blackwellscience.com

Hepatobiliary Diseases. Pathophysiology and Imaging is a mas-terful work that combines a full array of radiologic imagingtechniques, as well as information on epidemiology, cause,pathology, clinical features, treatment, and prognosis of liverand biliary diseases.The book is a well-organized, well-written encyclopedic

reference on hepatobiliary diseases. It is divided into 7 sec-tions: Progress in Imaging, Anatomy and Gross Changes in theLiver, Diffuse Liver Diseases, Vascular Diseases, Space-Occu-pying Lesions, Other Liver Diseases, and Biliary Tract Dis-eases. One of the primary intentions of the editors—2 of whomare professors of radiology—was to show each disease processwith a variety of different imaging modalities and to comparethe relative merits of each modality. To this end, the text isextensively illustrated with radiologic images, diagrams, ta-bles, photographs, and histopathologic reproductions, includ-ing a section of approximately 130 color figures on glossypaper, that serve to correlate the many dimensions of eachdisease process. A few entries are a little baffling, such asFigure 5.1.1 and the accompanying text, relating to a youngMozambican man with hepatocellular carcinoma. Yet, clearlyit is difficult when presenting so many entities—a number ofthem are quite rare—to have excellent illustrative examples ofthem all. The book’s intended audience includes all physiciansin training and in practice who work with diseases of the liverand biliary system, but at $275, the price will deter manytrainees from purchasing it for their personal libraries.I highly recommend the book, especially because of the

comprehensive nature of its descriptions over the completerange of hepatobiliary diseases. I also liked the fact that themajority of the editors and contributing authors are Japanese,providing North American readers with a slightly differentapproach, along with illustrations and descriptions of diseasesnot common in North America, such as parasitic diseases.However, I would like to see more current-generation mag-

netic resonance images, including images with contrast ad-ministration, in the second edition.

Bottom Line: An important, encyclopedic reference onhepatobiliary diseases.

RICHARD C. SEMELKA, M.D.Department of RadiologyUniversity of North CarolinaChapel Hill, North Carolina

Living with Hepatitis B, A Survivor’s Guide. By Gregory T.Everson, M.D., and Hedy Weinberg. Hatherleigh Press, NewYork, 2002. 303 pp. $15.95. ISBN 1-57826-084-1. Webaddress for ordering: www.Hatherleighpress.com

Living with Hepatitis B, A Survivor’s Guide, by Gregory T.Everson and Hedy Weinberg, is a thorough overview ofchronic hepatitis B infection, written from the perspective of anewly diagnosed hepatitis B carrier. To our knowledge, sim-ilarly detailed books written for persons with chronic hepatitisB infection are not available.The book is organized around a series of questions that a

recently diagnosed person might typically ask: What is hep-atitis B? What do all these tests mean? How could I have this?What are the implications of having chronic hepatitis B in-fection? The topics are skillfully arranged such that each buildson information provided in earlier sections. Each chapter be-gins with a patient quotation, followed by an overview and anoutline of that chapter’s contents. The quotations from pa-tients and doctors give a personal flavor to the text, showinghow each person’s disease and his or her reaction to the diseasemay differ.This soft-cover book looks more like a how-to manual than

a medical reference, so it is not likely to intimidate lay readers.The subject material is covered in lay terms, with clear trans-lations of the medical jargon. For ease of reading, the materialis well spaced and subject headings are in bold print. Personaltestimonials are in italics throughout the book, which easilydistinguishes them from the medical and scientific informa-tion. Figures, tables, and graphs are clear and understandable.The table of contents is a good general reference. Specificcitations, agencies, toll-free numbers, and addresses are placedin the appropriate chapters, but there are also references toother chapters containing relevant information. The reader willfind information about possible symptoms, side effects, andreactions to interferon and to other drugs. Some publicationsgloss over these or do not mention them in sufficient detail.There are tips for understanding and for coping with thedisease physically, emotionally, and financially, as well asinformation on currently available treatment options and thoselikely to be available in the future. Treatments currently inclinical trials are reviewed, providing a perspective on thescope of ongoing research.This book can also serve as an excellent resource for those in

the medical field who treat, counsel, and educate patients withhepatitis B. However, there are several minor deficiencies from

November 2002 PRINT AND MEDIA REVIEWS 1745

the medical provider’s standpoint. Some of the controversialaspects of antiviral therapy are not discussed in detail.Because most persons with chronic hepatitis B infectionwill evolve into an inactive state with low levels of viremia,normal alanine aminotransferase levels, and antibodies tothe hepatitis B e antigen without antiviral therapy (up to70% after 10 years of follow-up),1 the benefits of antiviraltherapy are not clear in all patient groups. Interferon mayaccelerate conversion to the inactive state in a minority ofpersons at the expense of treatment-related side effects.Lamivudine also converts a minority of persons into theinactive state, but uncertainty exists regarding the appro-priate duration of therapy and the consequences of lamivu-dine resistance, which is common during long-term treat-ment. Despite these concerns, we recommend this book

both for patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and fortheir health care providers.

Bottom Line: A valuable educational text for patients withchronic hepatitis B infection.

MARY SNOWBALL, R.N.BRIAN J. MC MAHON, M.D.Viral Hepatitis ProgramAlaska Native Medical CenterAnchorage, Alaska

Reference1. McMahon BJ, Holck P, Bulkow L, Snowball M. Serologic and clin-

ical outcomes of 1536 Alaska natives chronically infected withhepatitis B virus. Ann Intern Med 2001;135:759–768.

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