Rectal endosonography as an ancillary method for the detection of rectal and perirectal disease

Rectal endosonography was performed on over 400 patients; 19 were found to have rectal and/or perirectal disease. Primary rectal malignancies demonstrated the following sonographic features: (a) sessile lesions with circumferential rectal thickening; (b) lobulated or smooth margins, (c) displacement and/or breech of the perirectal fascia, and (d) lymphadenopathy. Secondary involvement of the rectum and perirectal space by malignancy showed (a) lack of circumferential rectal involvement with more focal involvement of the rectum and (b) abnormalities in perirectal soft tissues. Patients with radiation proctitis secondary to prostatic I-125 implants demonstrated rectal and/or anal thickening. Endosonography should prove a useful method in evaluating rectal and perirectal disease