title: Defecography: a still needful exam for evaluation of pelvic floor diseases.
abstract: The aim of this discussion is to describe what is a defecography, how we have to perform it, what can we see and to present the main physio-pathological illnesses of pelvic floor and anorectal region that can be studied with this method and its advantages over other screening techniques. Defecography is a contrastographic radiological examination that highlights structural and functional pelvic floor diseases. Upon preliminary ileum-colic opacification giving to patient radiopaque contrast, are first acquired static images (at rest, in maximum voluntary contraction of the pelvic muscles, while straining) and secondarily dynamic sequences (during evacuation), allowing a complete evaluation of the functionality of the anorectal region and the pelvic floor. Defecography is an easy procedure to perform widely available, and economic, carried out in conditions where the patient experiences symptoms, the most realistic possible. It can be still considered reliable technology and first choice in many patients in whom the clinic alone is not sufficient and it is not possible or necessary to perform a study with MRI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Radiological Sciences, University of Parma, Parma Hospital, Parma, Italy. eleonora.gazzani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Silvia Eleonora
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gazzani
authors.forename: Emanuela Angela
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Marcantoni
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capretti
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trunfio
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bacchini
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Artioli
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paladini
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seletti
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milanese
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbalace
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borgia
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bresciani
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D019841:Defecography; D005260:Female; D006547:Hernia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D009123:Muscle Hypotonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D020047:Rectocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013035:Spasm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: defecography, pelvic floor, rectum, anal canal