Radiologic evaluation of constipation and anorectal disorders

Abstract

This article has outlined the orderly radiographic approach to evaluating the patient who presents with constipation or other anorectal complaints. Defecography alone provides only a visual record of events taking place during defecation, and it seems likely that further understanding of the pathophysiology will require manometric, electromyographic, and proctographic data in those patients. Defecography is potentially more available than these other techniques because every hospital has a fluoroscopy suite. Studies that relate the proctographic findings with other physiologic studies are underway and necessary. More studies relating pre- and postoperative defecography with clinical results are needed.