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Scintigraphic assessment of colonic function during defaecation
D Z Lubowski1, A P Meagher, R C Smart
1Colorectal Unit, St. George Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
International Journal of Colorectal Disease
|January 1, 1995
Summary
This study reveals that colonic activity is involved in defecation, not just rectal emptying. This finding is crucial for understanding obstructed defecation and related bowel disorders.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- Defecation is traditionally viewed as a rectal evacuation process.
- The role of the colon in defecation under physiological conditions remains unclear.
- Understanding colonic contribution is vital for diagnosing defecation disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for examining rectal and colonic activity during defecation.
- To determine if the colon plays a role in the defecation process.
- To investigate the pathophysiology of obstructed defecation.
Main Methods:
- Dynamic scintigraphy using In-111 labelled DTPA to visualize rectal and colonic activity.
- Subjects underwent scanning during the natural urge to defecate.
- Study included normal subjects and those with constipation or irritable bowel syndrome.
Main Results:
- Colonic emptying was observed in most subjects during defecation.
- Mean segmental evacuation: rectum 66%, left colon 32%, right colon 20%.
- The colon actively participates in the defecation process.
Conclusions:
- Defecation involves significant colonic emptying, not solely rectal evacuation.
- This finding has implications for understanding the pathophysiology of obstructed defecation.
- The developed scintigraphy method provides new insights into colonic function during defecation.