The diagnosis and management of congenital heart disease has evolved rap- ly over the last 30 years. In the 1970s, invasive cardiac catheterization was a high-risk procedure for the infant and particularly the duct dependent n- nate. The introduction of noninvasive 2-dimensional echocardiography re- lutionized the diagnosis and management of individuals with congenital heart disease. No longer was the cardiologist limited to a handful of images and patient positions but could spend hours if necessary defining every detail of an individual childs cardiac anomaly. The addition of Doppler and sub- quently color Doppler further increased the importance of echocardiography in the decision making for congenital cardiac surgical procedures. And now we are fortunate to have further additions to the imaging and diagnostic - mamentarium, namelycardiac CTand cardiac MRI. In this most recent volume of the series entitled Congenital Heart Defects: Decision Making for Surgery Dr. Antonio F. Corno provides an up-to-date and comprehensive presentation of the new role that cardiac CT and cardiac MRI will play in the management of congenital heart disease. He has been ably assisted by a cardiologist, Dr. Gigi P. Festa. The book provides a dazzling array of images derived by both techniques and covering the full range ofcongenital heart anomalies. Boththe pre-ope- tive and postoperative usefulness of these techniques is presented.

The diagnosis and management of congenital heart defects has rapidly evolved over the last few decades.

In this third volume of the series entitled "Congenital Heart Defects: Decision Making for Surgery" Antonio Corno provides an up-to-date and comprehensive presentation of the new role that cardiac CT and MRI will play in the management of congenital heart defects. He has been ably assisted by a cardiologist, Pierluigi Festa.

The book provides a dazzling array of images derived by both techniques and covers the full range of congenital heart malformations. Both the pre-operative and post-operative usefulness of these techniques is presented: in the pre-operative period with regard to the details useful for choosing among all available surgical options; in the post-operative period for monitoring the follow-up and potential complications.

There is no doubt that these techniques will be particularly helpful for older children and adults with congenital heart disease in assessing the late impact of a congenital heart malformation and the surgical repair or palliation which may have been undertaken years previously.

The time is definitely right for a comprehensive presentation of these new diagnostic modalities and the way in which they will influence the field of congenital heart management.

 * First and only volume on the market presenting all the pre- and post-operative aspects and images of congenital heart defects as seen by cardiac CT and MRI
* Numerous illustrations provide clear and educationally useful images for each specific anatomic detail
* Helps to decide on the best surgical option
* Describes potential complications
* Provides advice with regard to monitoring in the post-operative period