Parry AH, Rehaman B, Bhat SA, Wani AH, Jehangir M, Baba AA. Role of magnetic resonance defecography in the assessment of obstructed defecation syndrome. World J Radiol 2025; 17(6): 107205 [DOI: 10.4329/wjr.v17.i6.107205]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Arshed Hussain Parry, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Government Medical College Srinagar, Srinagar 190011, Jammu and Kashmir, India. arshedparry@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Radiol. Jun 28, 2025; 17(6): 107205 Published online Jun 28, 2025. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v17.i6.107205
Role of magnetic resonance defecography in the assessment of obstructed defecation syndrome
Arshed Hussain Parry, Basit Rehaman, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, Abdul Haseeb Wani, Majid Jehangir, Arshad Ahmed Baba
Arshed Hussain Parry, Basit Rehaman, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, Majid Jehangir, Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Government Medical College Srinagar, Srinagar 190011, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Abdul Haseeb Wani, Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar 190011, Jammu and Kashmīr, India
Arshad Ahmed Baba, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Kashmir Health Services, Srinagar 190011, Jammu and Kashmīr, India
Co-first authors: Arshed Hussain Parry and Basit Rehaman.
Author contributions: Parry HA was responsible for the conceptualization, study design, image analysis, and manuscript preparation; Rehaman B was responsible for the conceptualization, study design, image analysis, and manuscript preparation; Bhat SA was responsible for the image analysis and manuscript writing; Wani AH was responsible for the image analysis and manuscript writing; Jehangir M was responsible for the manuscript writing; Baba AA was responsible for manuscript editing and clinical data analysis.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Arshed Hussain Parry, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Government Medical College Srinagar, Srinagar 190011, Jammu and Kashmir, India. arshedparry@gmail.com
Received: March 18, 2025 Revised: April 11, 2025 Accepted: May 18, 2025 Published online: June 28, 2025 Processing time: 100 Days and 21.7 Hours
Abstract
Obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS) represents an important cause of constipation, primarily arising from dysfunctions within the pelvic floor. Characterized by an inability to complete defecation or effectively evacuate fecal material despite the urge to defecate, ODS results in a persistent sensation of incomplete evacuation and often requires excessive straining during defecation. Conventional clinical examinations fail to adequately assess the complex dynamic dysfunctions of the pelvic floor and anorectal region. Magnetic resonance defecography (MRD), a sophisticated form of dynamic pelvic floor imaging, provides a comprehensive, non-invasive means of visualizing and quantifying various anorectal and pelvic floor abnormalities. By allowing detailed assessment of structural and functional deficits during the defecation process, MRD plays a crucial role in the diagnostic workup of ODS, enabling colorectal surgeons to formulate more precise and individualized treatment strategies. This manuscript highlights the important anatomical and functional disorders of pelvic floor that are associated with ODS.
Core Tip: Obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS) represents an important cause of chronic constipation, resulting from various functional and anatomical abnormalities of the pelvic floor. Magnetic resonance defecography (MRD) owing to its exceptional spatial resolution and dynamic imaging capabilities, facilitates an in-depth assessment of the pelvic floor's supporting structures. It provides direct visualization of the pelvic floor musculature and an indirect evaluation of the endopelvic fascia. MRD plays a pivotal role in the management of ODS by elucidating critical anatomical and functional impairments, thereby guiding therapeutic interventions.
