Abstract
Faithful readers of previous editions of this classic clinical chemistry text will notice several major improvements in the 4th edition. The first change is obvious. The title of the book has been expanded to incorporate a new focus—molecular biology and its clinical applications. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, 4th edition, has taken an even more clinical or diagnostic approach with the addition of a new editor, David E. Bruns, MD. The content of the text has been broadened to reflect changes in testing methods and practices within the modern clinical laboratory, and the readability of the text has been improved. Major emphasis continues to be placed on diagnosis and monitoring of disease, and the text has been expanded to include more information on risk assessment and disease prevention. The book contains a large new section on molecular diagnostics and its place in the modern, changing diagnostic laboratory. The Molecular Diagnostics and Genetics Section has eight new chapters that emphasize relationships to hematology, infectious diseases, genetics, and pharmacogenetics. Other new chapters incorporated into the latest edition include Nanotechnology and Microfabrication; Point-of-Care Testing; Introduction to Laboratory Medicine and Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine; and Inborn Errors of Amino Acid, Organic Acid, and Fatty Acid Metabolism.
The 4th edition strives to continue as the leading reference text in the field for clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine techniques, and the text largely succeeds in fulfilling this goal. Although the text is strong in details for traditional diagnostic biochemical methods, fewer details are provided for the newer molecular diagnostic techniques. This edition covers the basics but may lack some of the information that would be covered in more detail in a volume dedicated to purely molecular techniques. The main focus of the new Molecular Diagnostics and Genetics Section appears to be more on interpretation and use of data in a changing world of clinical medicine.
The 4th edition of this text consists of 56 chapters that were written by 102 contributors for a total of 2412 pages. One goal of the new text is to blur the lines between classical clinical chemistry and molecular diagnostics laboratories, and this objective has been achieved. The book is divided into seven major sections: Laboratory Principles; Analytical Techniques and Instrumentation; Principles of Laboratory Medicine; Analytes; Molecular Diagnostics and Genetics; Pathophysiology; and Appendix Reference Information. There are 944 illustrations and 12 color plates. The illustrations and tables are acceptable, but, in some cases, the printing is too small to read comfortably, and some of the photographs lack a crisp focus. All the chemical structures are clear and easy to read and interpret. The expanded descriptive Table of Contents with appropriate page numbers for subtopics is very helpful to the reader in search of information on a specific topic. Chapters are adequately referenced; sometimes the list of references is excessive and fails to include the more recent publications on the topic. The Index is adequate to address readers' needs. It is most convenient that the book's spine allows for text to be copied on commercial copiers and still be readable.
The additional web resources that accompany the text (http://evolve.elsevier.com/Tietz/textbook/) are interesting and practical features that promise to provide valuable information for instructors of clinical chemistry and molecular biology. The evolve website administered by Elsevier is designed to provide complementary information regarding analytical methods and case studies that might be used for student instruction. A database of manuscripts and abstracts that are electronically linked to the PubMed database is provided in the website. Any errors or changes in the text are to be reported on this website. Content updates regarding the current issues in clinical chemistry and molecular diagnostics for the 4th edition may also be posted on the site in the future. When accessed (27 July 2006), the website was just beginning to accumulate resources, and entries consisted of a primer of instructions on how to utilize the website, appendices, and references with Medline links.
The intended audience for the 4th edition of this internationally recognized reference text consists primarily of clinical chemists and molecular biologists. However, this book may also be of value for veterinary and human clinical and morphologic pathologists, other clinical laboratory professionals of various backgrounds, and internists. Although the price of the book may be prohibitory for some potential readers, the 4th edition of this comprehensive text would be a very valuable addition to university and pathology departmental libraries. Pathologists involved in the pharmaceutical industry and pathologists working in commercial diagnostic laboratories may also appreciate having access to this text.