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11 Magnetic Resonance and Traditional Radiology in the Diagnosis of... 189
These conclusions were supported in a follow-up study of 35 patients that demon­strated a correct MRI assessment in 33 of the patients (94%), including two cases in which examination under anesthesia failed to identify distant sepsis.
More studies soon confirmed Lunnis’ excellent results.
In 2001 Beets-Tan et al. (2001) evaluated the importance of the additional information that MRI examination can provide. The study included 56 patients with anal fistulas who underwent high-spatial resolution MRI. The information gained by the MRI made the surgeon decide to continue the surgery in only 21% (12/56) of the patients. They concluded that MRI results provide significant addi­tional information about secondary extensions and recurrent fistulas, particularly in patients with Crohn’s disease; therefore, the authors recommended the execution of a preoperative MRI to guide the surgeon to a more precise surgical planning.
In 2004 Buchanan et al. (2004) performed a larger study including 71 patients with recurrent anal fistula in which MRI findings were revealed after initial fistula surgery. The recurrence rate in the postoperative period was analyzed: in particular the authors compared the recurrence rate when the surgeons acted basing their decisions always on MRI results, the recurrence rate when surgeons acted only sometimes basing on MRI findings, and the recurrence rate when MRI results were completely ignored. The first group, when surgeons’ decisions were guided by MRI findings, had a significant lower recurrence rate (16%), compared to the other two groups (30% and 57%, respectively). Additionally, in the 16 patients who required further unplanned surgery, MR images had initially accurately located the site of disease in all cases, attesting that surgery guided by MRI reduces further recurrence of anal fistula by 75% and should be performed in all patients, especially the ones with recurrent fistula.
In 2017 Garg (2017) evaluated MRI contribution to surgical management in a large study, which included 229 patients. They reported that MRI added important information in patients with additional tracts, horseshoe tracts, supra-levator exten­sion, unsuspected abscess, and multiple internal openings. They concluded that MRI was capable of adding significant information to 46.7% of the surgeries when assessing these parameters.
In 2018 Konan et al. (2018) evaluated the contribution of MRI in the surgical management of anal fistulas. MRI signi ficantly helped the clinical assessment in
33.8% of the patients. MRI more often provided important information for c omplex fistulas than for simple fistulas. Also when the external opening was more than 2 cm away from the anal canal or when a horseshoe fistula was present, MRI demonstrated to have a more relevant role.
Following these studies, it could be argued that all patients should be imaged preoperatively, especially if MRI can be easily performed (Halligan 2020). Supporting this, even though the therapeutic impact of MRI is more pronounced in patients with a complex disease (Beets-Tan et al. 2001; Halligan 2020), it has been estimated that MRI can prove around 10% of first time apparently simple presenting fistulas, to be more complex than expected (Buchanan et al. 2004). Where MRI access is more restricted and cannot be performed to study every patient, the referring clinician needs to be more selective. MRI should be routinely performed
190 L. M. Minordi et al.
in patients with recurrent disease, because there is a high evidence of the benefits of MRI, which can modify surgical therapy and improve clinical outcomes (Halligan
2020). As well patients presen ting for the first time with a fistula seemingly complex
on clinical examination and patients with known Crohn’s disease (since the preva­lence of complex fistulas in this type of patients is so high) should undergo MRI examination (Halligan 2020).
There are other surgical situations where imaging is likely to be extremely helpful, even when the fistula itself is simple. For example, the anterior external sphincter is very short in women, and dividing this during fistulotomy is a risk for postoperative incontinence, even when the fistula is simple (Halligan 2020). In this case, rather than incising the fistula, the surgeon may decide to pass a seton thread through the track to stimulate drainage (Halligan 2020).

3 Conclusion

The anatomy of the anal and perianal region is complicated, and many different abnormalities may be seen in this limited anatomical area. Almost any imaging technique may be helpful for studying the perianal area; however, MRI, with its brilliant and superior to any other modality soft tissue resolution, emerges as the modality of choice. Furthermore, MRI examination is exceptionally useful in pre­operative planning by outlining the extent and secondary ramifications of the fistula tract as well as detecting the anal and cutaneous openings and associated abscesses.

4 Cross-References

▶ Endoanal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Cryptoglandular Anal Fistulas and
Abscesses
▶ Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis, Characterization, and Manage-
ment of Crohn’s Fistula

References

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Utility and Limitations of Endoanal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Crohn’s Anal
12
Fistula and Abscess
Lucia Camara Castro Oliveira
Contents
1 Introduction . ............... .................................................................. 193
2 Clinical Presentation ......................................................................... 194
3 Utility and Limitations of Endoanal Ultrasound ............................................ 195
4 Conclusion ................................................................................... 199
5 Cross-References .......................... ............................................. ..... 200
References ............................ ............................................... ............ 200
Abstract
Distinction between cryptoglandular and Crohn’s fistulas may be difficult, but is
important to guide treatment. Ultrasonography is an imaging method that has
great utility for the evaluation of the anorectal region. The development of high-
resolution transducers, with higher frequencies and three-dimensional configura-
tion, provides an evaluation of complex fistula tracts including those associated
with perianal Crohn’s disease.
Keywords
Ultrasound · Anorectal · Crohn’s disease · Anal fistula

1 Introduction

Anorectal abscess usually originates from the infection and obstruction of the anal glands. However, aside from this cryptoglandular origin, there are a number of other causes of anorectal suppuration including Crohn’s disease. It is well known that
L. C. C. Oliveira (*) Department of Anorectal Physiology of Rio de Janeiro, CEPEMED, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022 C. Ratto et al. (eds.), Anal Fistula and Abscess, Coloproctology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76670-2_14
193
194 L. C. C. Oliveira
anorectal abscess can drain spontaneously and may completely heal, or it can recur at the same site and develop a fistula tract. In fact, in the majority of cases, anorectal fistulas arise from a previous abscess. According to the Park’s classification, a fistula tract can be intersphincter ic, trans sphincteric, suprasphincteric or extra sphincteric (Parks et al. 1976). Therefore, adequate evaluation of fistulas and fistula tracts is crucial to determine the appropriate intervent ion, minimizing the risks of anal incontinence.
In patients with Crohn’s disease, perianal fistula can be a challenging situation and in 20–30% of the cases it is the first presentation of the disease. The pathog enesis of Crohn’s fistulas remains not well understood but certainly is distinct from the cryptoglandular origin.
One of the theories associates the deep ulcers with invasion of fecal material and bacteria. Those fistulas are more complex and can have mul tiple tracts. The clinical presentation can be difficult to distinguish between other etiologies of perianal disease, such as hidradenitis and sexually transmitted diseases. Because endoanal ultrasound probe is introduced into the anal canal, the proximity of the anatomic structures allows a better evaluation of the sphincter muscles and the tracts itself. When accuracy of physical examination and endoanal ultrasound (EAUS) is com­pared, advantages of EAUS are clearly observed, especially in more complex cases, such as in patients with Crohn’s disease. Accuracy of EAUS is around 85% for the detection of horseshoe tracts and 85% for the location of the internal fistula orifice compared to 56% and 69%, respectively, for the physical examination (Toyonaga et al. 2008).

2 Clinical Presentation

Distinction between cryptoglandular and Crohn’s fistulas may be difficult, but is important to guide treatment. Although the pathogenic mechanisms are very different, some patients may remain undiagnosed when the clinical presentation is not very clear for Crohn’s disease. Usually the complex tracts associated to Crohn’s disease are located in atypical locations and have a poor healing rate, regardless of the utilized treatment. Patients usually have constant anal pain that can be maximized during evacuation, fever can be present, but interestingly, the external fistula openings and the perianal skin are seldom painful. (Fleshman and Tay 2014) In the evaluation process, active disease in the colon and small bowel should be ruled out as the persistence of the inflammatoryprocessisassociated with the maintenance of the perianal fistula disease. Another specificcharacteristic of the Crohn’s fistula patients is the development of atypical skin tags which can help to establish the diagnosis, as the pathognomonic non-caseating granulomas can be demonstrated. In addition t o the skin tags, swelling, induration, and redness of the perianal skin can be seen, as well as purulent discharge and multiple external openings (Fig. 1).
12 Utility and Limitations of Endoanal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Crohn’s... 195
Fig. 1 Male patient with multiple fistula tracks associated with perianal Crohn’s disease

3 Utility and Limitations of Endoanal Ultrasound

Ultrasonography is an imaging method that has great utility for the evaluation of the anorectal region (Santoro and Murad-Regadas 2017). This imaging modality pro­vides a clear evaluation of the anorectal muscles and pararectal spaces. Patients are examined in the left lateral decubitus and gentle lubrication of the anus is advised.
The development of high-resolution transducers, with higher frequencies and three-dimensional configuration, provides an evaluation of complex fistula tracts including those associated with perianal Crohn’s disease (Santoro and Fortling 2007) (Fig. 2).
In the case of suppurative processes and complex fistulas, including those related to Crohn’s disease, ultrasound evaluation allows the identification of inflammatory cavities, primary and secondary fistulous tracts, and the complexity of the tracts in relation to the anorectal muscles (Fig. 3). In these cases, evaluation of the sphincter muscles also brings important information to the surgeon, since the tracts may be intersphincteric or transsphincteric. The information provided is valuable for proper planning of the surgical approach as well as to classify and determine the extent of the disease, avoiding the risk of incomplete healing, recurrent fistula, and inadvertent sphincter injury.
The use of three-dimensional transducers has allowed the location of the fistulous tracts in all planes (Fig. 4). In addition, when an external opening is present, it is possible to introduce 1–2 ml of hydrogen peroxide to improve the visualization of the tracts and the internal opening (Fig. 5).
Zawadzki et al. (2012) described the characteristic Crohn’s fistula imaging by EAUS as a hypoechogenic fistula track surrounded by a hyperechogenic area extending into the perianal tissue with a thin, regular hypoechogenic edge. This finding can help the distinction between the various perianal fistulas.
One of the main advantages of EAUS is the possibility of performing the evaluation at the office, when the patients are comfortable wi th the presence of
196 L. C. C. Oliveira
Fig. 2 High-resolution B-K 360 3D transducer for better evaluation of anorectal region
Fig. 3 Anorectal abscess area on coronal and axial plane
the probe. The high-resolution 3D transducers can demonstrate different plans of the anorectal region and the more complex tracts can be easily demonstrated. Because those transducers record the exam in automatic scanning the procedure can be revised after the examination, which can, as with magnetic resonance imaging
12 Utility and Limitations of Endoanal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Crohn’s... 197
Fig. 4 High intersphincteric tract on sagittal and axial planes
Fig. 5 Endoanal ultrasound enhancement with hydrogen peroxide to improve the visualization of
the tracts and the internal opening
(MRI), overcome the barriers of having a non-experienced professional performing the acquisition.
Portable systems with 2D probes can also be easily brought to the theater and patients can be evaluated under sedation (Fig. 6).
In a study comparing 51 patients that underwent 3D-EAUS and MRI for Crohn’s disease the authors were able to demonstrate that both studies can be used to assess transsphincteric fistulas. However, they reported that using 3D-EUAS alone, up to 14% of suprasphincteric fistulas can be overlooked or not correctly diagnosed (Alabiso et al. 2016). The advantages of MRI, according to this study, are the evaluation of suprasphincteric and extrasphincteric fistulas with a broader
198 L. C. C. Oliveira
Fig. 6 Portable systems with 2D probes can also be easily brought to the theater and patients can be evaluated under sedation (360 Morpheus – Prometheus)
visualization of the hole pelvic floor thus showing the fistula track in the context of the surrounding structures.
Although MRI has been widely utilized in the assessment of perianal CD, it seems less accurate than EAUS in the detection of anorectal abscesses (Orsoni et al.
1999).
Another study, in fact, a meta-analysis performed in 2012, compared EAUS and MRI in the identification and classification of perianal fistulas in patients with Crohn’s disease, confirming a high sensitivity (87%) of both techniques (Siddiqui et al. 2012).
When a combination of a clinical activity index (Fistula Drainage Assessment (FDA) and Perianal Disease Activity Index (PDAI)) with an imaging modality such as EAUS was performeda demonstration of an improvementin diagnosticaccuracy was obtained and both being complementary to each other (Losco et al. 2009; Botti et al. 2013).
These findings were also observed by de la Portilla et al who even presented a ultrasonographic classification for patients with perianal Crohn’s disease (de la Portilla et al. 2015) (Table 1).
The incidence of intersphincteric abscesses diagno sed by EAUS in a prospective cohort of patients with CD was published in 2010 (Viganò et al. 2011). The authors diagnosed perianal fistulas or abscesses in the presence of a hypoechoic track originating from the subepithelial or submucosal layer of the anal canal, extending toward the anal sphincters, and containing hyperechoic spots consistent with the presence of gas bubbles within the fistulizing track. They included 55 patients and demonstrated that EAUS is a valuable modality for the assessment of patients with intersphincteric abscesses and pain.
In our series, EAUS helped to identify abscesses and complex fistula tract, as in this example: a 43-year-old male patient with Crohn’s disea se and a large ischiorectal abscess (Fig. 7).