Colonic diseases: The value of US examination

The colon is affected by a number of diseases, mainly inflammatory, ischemic, and neoplastic conditions. Depending upon clinical indications endoscopy, US, CT, or other radiological methods are used for evaluation. The fact that US is frequently used as the initial imaging method in patients with non-specific clinical symptoms allows for greater influence in further diagnostic evaluation and with treatment, provided the investigator is familiar with the features of different intestinal diseases. This article will describe the anatomical characteristics of the colon, the US technique for examination of the colon, and the typical US features of the more common diagnoses of the colon. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.