Review of Dermatopathology by Philip LeBoit, M.D. and Jeff Harvell, M.D.

This is one of the most entertaining multimedia CD-ROMs I know, starting with the first bars from Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik and ending with Jeff Harvell's lecture on MelanA/S100-positive spindle cells in desmoplastic neurotropic melanoma. Dermatopathology is the latest child of the highly praised Pathology Masters Series published by Universal Multimedia, Inc. (www.pathcds.com) which also produced such highlights as Endocrine Tumors by John K.C. Chan and Soft Tissue Tumors by Donald R. Chase.

LeBoit and Harvell compiled a well-balanced multimedia presentation combining narration with pictures. This son-et-lumière effect is a real brain teaser: just go on AutoPlay, lean back, and enjoy.

Dermatopathology contains 19 chapters with up to 37 high quality color slides, including text slides and clinical pictures. All major topics of dermatopathology are covered, including hematolymphoid and fibrous neoplasms. Many of the 381 color slides come with pointers, a very useful didactic tool. A special camera feature allows the user to save slides for other purposes. The Index is an additional helpful feature listing all slides in detail, e.g. "Melanocytic Neoplasm, slide 16, dysplastic nevus, many dysplastic nevi (clinical)". There are more than 3 hours of crisp and concise narration, in perfect synchrony with the slides.

Obviously this CD-ROM is not meant to be encyclopaedic. Instead the authors are aiming straight at the neophyte who is introduced into the world of dermatopathology by means of a didactically exquisite multimedia presentation. Basically, this is a 3 hour slide lecture with perfectly tuned narration and pictures. The prose is superb, the slides are well chosen. There is no boring redundancy. Dermatopathology grabs you instantaneously and keeps you mesmerized for more than 3 hours.

Seasoned dermatopathologists might feel a bit envious: why don't they make such beauties for the more advanced? However, these shortcomings are negligible and are drowned out by the mass of useful, concise and clear multimedia information contained in this remarkably educational and entertaining CD-ROM.

On its website Universal Multimedia introduces the senior author as an outstanding expert in the field who has given over 200 invited lectures on every continent - except Antarctica. If PEL should not make it to the South Pole, why not send Dermatopathology instead?

Heinz Kutzner, M.D.
Dermatopathologische Gemeinschaftspraxis
Friedrichshafen, Germany

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Last Updated by John Sylora, M.D.: 5/20/09