Ultrasound Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Ultrasound, including details on screening, diagnosis, pregnancy, detection.

Sonography of benign conditions of the anal canal: an update.

Berton F, Gola G, Wilson SR

Department of Medical Imaging, Section of Ultrasound, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2N2, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to describe our experience with sonography for the study of benign conditions of the anal canal and perianal soft tissues. CONCLUSION: Assessment of the anal sphincters in patients with fecal incontinence and documentation of perianal inflammatory masses and tracts in those with perianal inflammatory disease are the major indications for imaging the anal canal. We augment traditional transanal sonography with transperineal scanning in both sexes and transvaginal scanning in women to better show the anal canal in its quiet state to allow an accurate assessment of the integrity of the anal sphincters and of evidence of acute or chronic inflammatory involvement.

Published 21 September 2007 in AJR Am J Roentgenol, 189(4): 765-73.
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