EUS for rectal disease.

The diagnostic applications for EUS have grown tremendously over the last decade. Most of the early development involved the use of EUS for upper GI indications. Until recently the rectal applications of EUS have largely remained unexplored. Several recent publications have demonstrated the usefulness of EUS in the evaluation of rectal diseases.1-3 At our center, there has been a steady increase in the number of patients referred for rectal indications. This review describes rectal endosonographic anatomy, highlights the technical aspects of rectal EUS, and summarizes available data on the major clinical indications for rectal EUS including imaging of perianal fistulas, the evaluation of anal sphincter injuries, and the staging of rectal cancer.