الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Background: The knowledge of the anatomy of the anal canal and perianal structures has grown rapidly over last decades by the use of fistulography, endoanal sonography, computed tomography and recently MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Most of these techniques have their disadvantages in detection and classification of perianal fistula, so the imaging of fistulae was disappointing until the introduction of MRI but it is essential that any new investigation be proven to have benefit before its introduction as a presurgical test. Objective: To assess the accuracy of MRI with endorectal coil in detection of perianal fistula and its relations to anal sphincter as compared with surgical finding.Methods: This study was carried out on 20 patients (4 patients were excluded as they didn?t tolerate the coil) suffering from perianal fistula and divided into 2 groups; the first included patients with primary fistulae while the second included patients with recurrent fistulae. All patients examined by MRI with endorectal coil then subjected to surgery and before leaving the operative theatre the surgical findings were compared with the radiological findings by MRI then surgery completed when needed. Results: In the first group, MRI showed additional information in 12.5% of patients while in the second group MRI added information than surgery in 50% of patients. Examination under anaesthesia had accuracy 93.75% in detection of primary tract, 25% in detection of abscess and 60% in detection of horse shoe fistula. Fallacies of MRI were observed in two patients (25%) of the second group. Conclusion & Recommendations: MRI with endorectal coil can be very useful in defining fistula anatomy and planning surgical strategy in complex fistula but this study does not recommend MRI as a routine investigation in simple fistula as its results were not far than surgical finding and it is very expensive and painful technique.