Abstract
The new edition of this standard reference for video microscopy contains an abundance of information on advances in video imaging that have occurred in the decade since publication of the first edition. The book also retains much of the excellent foundation of the first edition; for example, the chapters entitled “Practical Aspects of Microscopy” and “Physiologic Characteristics of the Eye,” which alone are worth the purchase price of the book. Examples and topics are oriented towards the biological sciences, but histology is not specifically addressed. The extensive description and discussion of the physics of optical systems and video image acquisition and enhancement exceeds the practical needs of the anatomic pathologist, but the level of detail provided is a tremendous resource for those interested in troubleshooting video imaging problems, constructing a customized imaging system, or understanding the more arcane aspects of image handling. Discussion of confocal microscopy, three-dimensional image reconstruction, and transformation of digitized images has been included. Diagrams and example images are numerous and are generally nicely illustrative of the concepts discussed. Also included are a number of side-by-side comparisons of specific equipment, an extensive resource list for vendors of hardware and software, and a thorough, cross-referenced glossary of terms. Omissions are relatively few but include the public-domain imaging software NIH Image and other imaging resources on the World Wide Web. This book compares favorably with similar works in the field, and its orientation towards hardware complements the more procedural approach of other works. Ongoing rapid advances in imaging technology and digital image processing are likely to render some aspects of this book obsolete in a relatively short time; however, the emphasis on both optical and image acquisition/processing aspects of the process make it a valuable resource.