title: Sonography of benign conditions of the anal canal: an update.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors: Department of Medical Imaging, Section of Ultrasound, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2N2, Canada.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Berton
authors: Giada
authors: G
authors: Gola
authors: Stephanie R
authors: SR
authors: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*