SUMMARYBarium enema examination of 9 patients with pelvic abscess reveals characteristic findings: 1. Compression of the rectum and sigmoid colon, causing narrowing in the antero‐posterior dimension. Severe compression occurs at the pelvic brim where the sigmoid lies over the promontory of sacrum and the left sacro‐iliac wing. 2. No elevation of the sigmoid loop, but superior stretching of the distal sigmoid may be observed. 3. Presence of transverse mucosal folds and serrated margins. Longitudinal folds due to pleating and stretching may be seen at the maximum compression site over the promontory of sacrum. The involved segment is not less than 5 cm in length and shows limited collapsibility and distensibility. In most cases, after treatment, the colonic changes return to normal within 2 to 4 weeks. Barium enema has proved to be helpful for correct diagnosis and proper management in these patie