Book excerpt: Rapid recognition of life-threatening illnesses and injuries expedites appropriate management and improves clinical outcomes. False-positive interpretations in radiology have been identified as a significant cause of error, leading to unnecessary investigation and treatment, increased healthcare costs, and delays in appropriate management. Moreover, it is important that radiologists do not miss important subtle diagnoses that need urgent intervention. Pearls and Pitfalls in Emergency Radiology provides an outline of common imaging artefacts, anatomic variants and critical diagnoses that the radiologist must master in order to guide appropriate care and avoid malpractice lawsuits. One hundred selected cases – illustrated with several hundred images from MRI, MDCT, PET, ultrasound and radiographs – are presented in a succinct and structured format, highlighting key pearls and potential diagnostic pitfalls. The text focuses on emergent presentations of diseases in all body regions in both adults and children.