Vanderbilt Digestive Disease Center

EUS stands for endoscopic ultrasound. A lower EUS (rectal) is the insertion of a small, flexible lighted tube placed through your rectum. This procedure measures sound waves from surrounding tissues to detect areas of concern.

How to Prepare for This Ultrasound
The day prior to your procedure date, eat and drink only clear liquids for the entire day.

• Buy 1 bottle of magnesium citrate and 2 fleet enemas at your local pharmacy; refrigerate the magnesium citrate prior to drinking.
• The day before: At 6 pm the night before the test, drink the entire bottle of magnesium citrate. You may continue clear liquids until 8 hours prior to your procedure.
• The day of the procedure: The morning of the test, take two Fleet enemas.

What to Expect
This procedure is typically performed with anesthesia or sedation. This will be discussed when you are contacted by a nurse for your pre-assessment evaluation. If it is determined that sedation or anesthesia is necessary depending on your diagnosis and/or physician preference, a driver must accompany you and stay in the waiting area during your procedure. Click here to read more about what to expect in the GI Lab at Vanderbilt.