Brain Injury: Applications from War and Terrorism

Brain Injury: Applications from War and Terrorism is a single-authored book written by a world-class neuroradiologist with extensive experience in traumatic brain injury (TBI). It features six graphic-intense chapters depicting and expounding upon the complexity of TBI. Culled from nearly three decades of studying civilian TBI and five years of intensive study of TBI sustained from combat, terrorism, and natural disasters, this work is an exhaustive and innovative authority on the current approaches and applications of civilian and combat TBI. The text is sectored into six chapters based on pathophysiology, each augmented with numerous images and illustrations. The book gives special attention to neuroimaging, but is reinforced with relevant clinical correlation. This monograph is unique because it is first in class as an omnibus for the radiologist, neurologist, neurosurgeon, maxillofacial surgeon, emergency physician, pediatrician, ophthalmologist, and the rehabilitation team.

Accompanied by detailed high resolution illustrations with meticulous annotation, Brain Injury: Applications from War and Terrorism contains over 500 curated radiological and clinical images that enhance the concepts detailed in each chapter. Complete with up-to-date references, it is a state of the art resource guide for any member of the team of professionals caring for those who have sustained a traumatic brain injury

In the foreword, Bob Woodruff writes -

“After the September 11 attacks, [Dr. Gean] realized the significant void in our understanding of brain Injury caused by war and terrorism (and) she was motivated to devote the last four years of her academic pursuits to understanding the similarities and differences between civilian TBI and TBI suffered in war, terrorism, and natural disasters... This extraordinary, magnificently illustrated and unique single-authored textbook, Brain Injury: Applications from War and Terrorism,is the culmination of Dr. Gean’s dedication and experience. It’s really not just a book – it is a telegraphed documentary of a lifelong conviction to recognizing and responding to TBI by an acknowledged global expert.”

Alisa D. Gean, MD is a Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Gean obtained both her BS and MD degrees at Stanford University. Following medical school, she did an Internship in Internal Medicine at San Francisco Children’s Hospital, now called California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC). She then moved to Boston where she completed a 4-year Residency program in Diagnostic Radiology and a 2-year Fellowship in Neuroradiology, both at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Gean joined the faculty at UCSF in 1989 as the Chief of Neuroradiology at San Francisco General Hospital. Her primary professional interest is in the field of central nervous system trauma. She also has devoted special attention to the areas of stroke and HIV disease. The sheer volume of patients, the extremes of illness, and the unique circumstances of the vulnerable patient population presenting to San Francisco General Hospital have provided her with a wealth of experience and expertise in central nervous system injury and disease. Dr. Gean lectures nationally and internationally on the topic of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and she is a founding member of the Brain and Spine Injury Center (“BASIC”) at UCSF. She has written extensively on the topic of TBI, and is the sole author of the internationally recognized textbook, “Imaging of Head Trauma". She has consulted with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Defense, and the National Football League on the topic of head injury.

A senior member of the American Society of Neuroradiology, Dr. Gean obtained her Certification of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in 1996 and was recertified in 2006. Dr. Gean serves as a National Medical Board Examiner for the American Board of Radiology for both the certification of trainees at the Board examination level as well as for post-fellowship certification at the CAQ level. Dr. Gean has previously held positions as a San Francisco mayoral delegate to the Philippines, Vietnam, and China, and she continues to volunteer as a neuroradiology consultant to the Asia/Pacific Rim. Dr. Gean has delivered over 200 national and international invited lectures, written 4 books, 24 book chapters, and over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and scientific abstracts. Dr. Gean's editorial activities have included JAMA, American Journal of Neuroradiology, Radiology, Journal of Trauma, Journal of Neurotrauma, Annals of Neurology, Journal of Neuro-AIDS, and the Journal of Computed Assisted Tomography.

In 2008, Dr. Gean volunteered her clinical expertise at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany to study combat TBI suffered in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Through this experience, she has devoted her recent academic pursuits to understanding the similarities and differences between civilian and battlefield brain injury. In recognition of that work, Dr. Gean has recently finished another single-authored textbook titled Brain Injury: Applications from War and Terrorism.