About the Book
"Compelling and insightful-I urge everyone, physicians and the public alike, to read this brilliant work." -James Borgstede MD, past president and chairman of the board of the American College of Radiology
A doctor's profound tales of diagnoses and discoveries made by medical imaging; and reflections on what we can learn about ourselves and life by looking within the human body.
What would it really be like to have x-ray vision? Our bodies have endless stories and secrets to tell, and imaging is the great equalizer. When we look deep into ourselves from the vantage of this fundamental level, with exterior barriers and labels removed, we may see ourselves, other people, and our lives in a whole new light.
In Looking Within, Cullen Ruff, MD collects over 30 stories of how diagnostic imaging impacted the lives of his patients and provided insight into the many complex stories that led these people to seek answers. Ruff highlights the wonder and mystery of the human body, literally and metaphorically looking inside of others. Each story describes a patient in whom a life-changing discovery is made: tumors, stroke, domestic violence, substance abuse, sterility, unexpected pregnancy, infection, surgical complications, evidence of criminal activity, mental illness, even impending death. Dr. Ruff's words, images, and insights help us see ourselves like never before.
About the Author :
Cullen Ruff, MD is a radiologist in private practice and an associate professor of medical education at the University of Virginia campus in Fairfax, VA, where he has received awards teaching medical students. His best-selling book, Looking Within, explores human stories and insights from medical imaging. Short story chapters have appeared in several magazines and online forums, and in 2019, Ruff won a Washington, DC, Moth story slam narrating a chapter from Looking Within. Ruff has lectured at the Smithsonian Institute and the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC.
Review :
"Looking Within is a memorable voyage into the mysteries of medicine. Radiologist Dr. Cullen Ruff offers us a vivid and personal experience as he shares his stories of patients and reveals the precision of a scientific mind, and the compassion of a true healer. What a lovely book." --Dr. Bob Rosen, CEO of Healthy Companies International and best-selling author of Conscious, Grounded, Just Enough Anxiety, Leading People, Global Literacies, and The Healthy Company
"In Looking Within, Dr. Cullen Ruff illuminates the breadth and power of medical imaging as a diagnostic tool--and he goes beyond that to help us experience its beauty and poignancy. Radiology plays a vital and increasingly pervasive role in modern medicine, yet its practitioners continue to reside mostly in the shadows, and their work remains hidden. By sharing his experiences, Ruff brings the field, and the reader, out of the dark. A remarkable book. --Carolyn Jourdan, five-time Wall Street Journal best-selling author of medical memoir and biography, including Medicine Men.
"Dr. Ruff's book is compelling and insightful, and reflects his outstanding career as a radiologist physician. I urge everyone, physicians and the public alike, to read this brilliant work." --Jim Borgstede MD, past president and chairman of the board of the American College of Radiology
"Radiology is among the most distant and pitiless of medical specialties, where the body is exposed to the cold eye of technology in both astonishing and terrifying ways. But in Looking Within, Dr. Cullen Ruff refuses to stop at the images on the screen, and instead sees through them to the profound human stories they tell. Compelling, compassionate, honest, and wise." --Frank Huyler MD, author of The Blood of Strangers, The Laws of Invisible Things, and Right of Thirst
