Diagnostic Pathology and Molecular Genetics of the Thyroid

Yuri E. Nikiforov MD, PhD

Professor of Pathology, Director, Division of Molecular Anatomic Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

Paul W. Biddinger MD

Professor of Pathology, Chief of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA

Lester D.R. Thompson MD, FASCP, FCAP

Consultant Pathologist, Department of Pathology, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Woodland Hills, CA

The diagnosis of lesions of the thyroid can be an incredibly challenging aspect of pathology, and it is seeing a rapid expansion in the number of defined entities and changes in how diagnoses are made and reported. This multiauthor subspecialty book focuses on the diagnosis of diseases of the thyroid, with a special emphasis on the underlying molecular genetics. The previous edition was published in 2012.
 
The primary purpose is to provide a comprehensive desktop reference for the diagnosis and reporting of thyroid disease, both neoplastic and non-neoplastic.
This book aims to provide information on new key advances in diagnosis, staging guidelines, the use of new immunohistochemical markers, molecular methods, and new diagnostic entities.
 
This book would be most useful for practicing pathologists who are required to interpret and report cases involving complex thyroid pathology, including surgical pathologists and molecular pathologists. Pathologists in training may find this book to be of great use in learning about the thyroid and the molecular genetics underlying diseases. Clinicians who treat patients with thyroid disease may find the information in this book helpful as an update to their practice.
 
Across 24 chapters, this book attempts to provide a comprehensive guide to thyroid pathology. This edition features improvements such as expanded authorship, increased and improved illustrations, completely rewritten and expanded information on molecular diagnostics and genetics, and inclusion of new entities. The book begins with chapters detailing normal anatomy, histology, embryological development, and physiology. The remainder of the book is devoted to thyroidal disease and is organized primarily by categories of disease, such as thyroiditis or papillary carcinoma. Additional chapters provide information on the gross examination of the thyroid and disease staging. Each major disease is presented in a similar fashion, with a chapter that includes epidemiology, etiology, detailed information on the pathogenesis, salient gross examination features, histological features leading to diagnosis, cytological findings, immunohistochemical stains, and molecular diagnostics. If applicable, variants of a disease are detailed with the defining features of that variant, as well as the clinical significance. Numerous fully captioned images and diagrams support the key information presented. Each chapter contains a list of references if further in-depth reading is required.
 
This is a comprehensive and updated guide to navigating this difficult area of surgical pathology. This edition benefits from the evolution of next-generation sequencing technologies, which have greatly enhanced our knowledge of the molecular basis of thyroid oncology. This book provides the information to not only diagnose difficult lesions of the thyroid through gross and microscopic evaluation, but also to understand the disease process as a whole, including epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, and ancillary testing. The book is beautifully illustrated with ample bright, clear, and well-chosen images to complement the text. Diagrams and tables are clean and concise. The book is well researched and current, and the references are well curated. Although cytology is represented in this book, the overall focus is the evaluation of surgical resections and biopsies; those primarily seeking information on the interpretation of thyroid cytology specimens may be better served by another book. Overall, this is an invaluable book for practicing pathologists who encounter thyroid specimens in their practice."
 
Weighted Numerical Score: 96 - 4 Stars!