Volume 13: Pineal, Pituitary, and Spinal Tumors is organized in six sections, for convenience and quick access to critical information. Section I, Types of Tumors includes a chapter on molecular characterization of Embryonal tumors, a chapter on diagnosis of metastatic oligodendroglioma using fine-needle aspiration cytology, one covering intra-arterial chemotherapy of oligodendroglial tumors and another on the role of cyclooxygenase-2 in the development and growth of Schwannomas, and others, closing with a chapter on trigeminal neuralgia with cerebellopontine angle tumors.

Section II, Diagnosis, includes two chapters on cell counting in histopathologic slides of tumors. Section III offers three chapters which discuss aspects of intraoperative ultrasonography. Section IV covers brain tumor surgery, and Section V surveys Brain Metastasis. The final section offers a wide-ranging review of General Diseases, with chapters on, among others, Alexander Disease; Lipoma; Transplantation of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells in cases of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage; and a chapter discussing the use of mobile phones and brain cancer risk in children.

Like its twelve predecessors in the series, this volume merits distinction for its thorough approach, its roster of 78 distinguished contributors representing 14 different countries and its detailed examination of leading-edge technology and methods.