Rectal examination - Definition and Overview

A rectal examination or rectal exam is an internal examination of the rectum by a physician.

The digital rectal examination (DRE) is the simplest procedure. The patient is placed in a position where the anus is accessible and relaxed (lying on the side, squatting on the examination table, bent over the examination table, etc). The physician inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum through the anus and palpates the insides.

This examination may be used:

• for the diagnosis of appendicitis (a sharp pain experienced when the physician presses a certain spot indicates acute appendicitis);
• for the diagnosis of rectal tumors and cancer;
• for the estimation of the tonicity of the anal sphincter;
• in males, for the diagnosis of prostatic disorders, notably tumors and cancer;
• in females, for gynecological palpations of internal organs