You may also feel bloated. Or you may notice a change in your bowel habits, with your stools getting looser or, more often, harder.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Salzman H, Lillie D.
Diverticular disease: diagnosis and treatment.
American Family Physician. 2005; 72: 1229-1234.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

Doctors usually used a test called barium enema to find out whether you have diverticular disease. A barium enema is an

 

 

 

 

 

X-ray
X-rays are pictures taken of the inside of your body. They are done by passing very small amounts of radiation through your body and onto film. X-rays can also be used as a treatment, such as in radiation therapy for cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

X-ray of your colon. A thick white liquid that contains the chemical barium is passed through your

 

 

 

 

 

rectum
The rectum is the last six to eight inches of the large intestine, ending with the anus (where you empty your bowels).

 

 

 

 

 

rectum into your colon (your large bowel) to make the X-ray pictures show up more clearly.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Medline Plus medical encylopedia: barium enema.
August 2005. Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003817.htm (accessed on 26 September 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

²

But the results of this test can be wrong in about one-third of people with diverticula.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Boulos PB, Karamanolis DG, Salmon PR, et al.
Is colonoscopy necessary in diverticular disease?
Lancet. 1984; 1: 95-96.

 

 

 

 

 

³

Most doctors now recommend a test called

 

 

 

 

 

colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a way for your doctor see the inside of your colon and rectum. A tube called a colonoscope is put into your bowel through your anus. A camera at the end of the tube shows your colon and rectum on a screen. If your doctor finds any small polyps or cancers, he or she may be able to remove them using a wire attached to the end of the colonoscope. However, large polyps and cancers may need surgery.

 

 

 

 

 

colonoscopy for people with diverticular disease.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Stollman NH, Raskin JB.
Diagnosis and management of diverticular disease of the colon in adults.
American Journal of Gastroenterology. 1999; 94: 3110-3121.

 

 

 

 

 

⁴ During this test, your doctor will use a thin flexible tube with a light and camera at the end (called a colonoscope) to look at the inside of your colon. The tube is put in through your rectum and slowly pushed into your colon.

You can have a colonoscopy at your doctor's office, in a clinic or at a hospital. The test takes up to an hour.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Cancer Research UK,
Examining the bowel.
Available at http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=2820 (accessed on 26 September 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

⁵

You'll probably be given painkillers and medication to make you drowsy (a sedative) just before you have the test. You should be able to go home a couple of hours after having the test. But you shouldn't drive for a few hours after taking a sedative, so you may need someone to take you home.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Cancer Research UK,
Examining the bowel.
Available at http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=2820 (accessed on 26 September 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

⁵

Sometimes diverticula can bleed. When this happens, you may see a lot of blood in your stools. But the bleeding usually stops by itself and doesn't need treatment. If you get blood in your stools, you should see your doctor. If the bleeding doesn't stop, you may need an operation.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis.
October 2005. Available at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov (accessed on 26 September 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

⁶

If one or more of your diverticula become

 

 

 

 

 

inflammation
If your skin or some other part of your body becomes red, swollen, hot or sore, we say it is inflamed. It means that your body is trying to protect you from germs, from something in your body tissues that can hurt you (like a thorn or sliver), or from things that cause allergies (allergens). Inflammation is part of the way the body heals an infection or injury.

 

 

 

 

 

inflamed or

 

 

 

 

 

infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.

 

 

 

 

 

infected, your doctor will say you have diverticulitis. Usually this happens when pieces of stool getting stuck in a pouch on their way out of your body.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Salzman H, Lillie D.
Diverticular disease: diagnosis and treatment.
American Family Physician. 2005; 72: 1229-1234.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

If you get diverticulitis, you may:

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Salzman H, Lillie D.
Diverticular disease: diagnosis and treatment.
American Family Physician. 2005; 72: 1229-1234.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

You can get these symptoms with many other conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Stollman NH, Raskin JB.
Diagnosis and management of diverticular disease of the colon in adults.
American Journal of Gastroenterology. 1999; 94: 3110-3121.

 

 

 

 

 

⁴ Your doctor will examine you and may test your blood for infection. That may be enough to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Stollman N, Raskin J.
Diverticular disease of the colon.
Lancet. 2004; 363: 631-639.

 

 

 

 

 

⁷ But if your doctor isn't sure whether you have inflamed diverticula, they may be refer you to a hospital or to a radiology center for more tests.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Stollman N, Raskin J.
Diverticular disease of the colon.
Lancet. 2004; 363: 631-639.

 

 

 

 

 

⁷

If the pain in your abdomen is very bad, you may have an

 

 

 

 

 

X-ray
X-rays are pictures taken of the inside of your body. They are done by passing very small amounts of radiation through your body and onto film. X-rays can also be used as a treatment, such as in radiation therapy for cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

X-ray of your chest and abdomen.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Stollman N, Raskin J.
Diverticular disease of the colon.
Lancet. 2004; 363: 631-639.

 

 

 

 

 

⁷ But the best test for diverticulitis is a computed tomography scan (a

 

 

 

 

 

CT scan
A CT scan is a type of X-ray. It takes several detailed pictures of the inside of your body from different angles. CT stands for computed tomography. It's also called a CAT scan (computed axial tomography).

 

 

 

 

 

CT scan).

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Stollman N, Raskin J.
Diverticular disease of the colon.
Lancet. 2004; 363: 631-639.

 

 

 

 

 

⁷ In this test, doctors use X-ray equipment linked to a computer (a CT scanner) to produce clear pictures of your colon.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Radiological Society of North America.
Computed tomography (CT): body.
June 2005. Available at http://www.radiologyinfo.org (accessed on 26 September 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

⁸ The CT scanner is a large, square machine with a hole in the middle. You lie inside the machine, and an X-ray tube moves around your body to take pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Radiological Society of North America.
Computed tomography (CT): body.
June 2005. Available at http://www.radiologyinfo.org (accessed on 26 September 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

⁸

Having a CT scan isn’t painful. You’ll probably have to have some dye put into your body before the test to make the lining of your colon show up more clearly on the scan. Usually you’re given the dye as a drink or as an injection.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Stollman N, Raskin J.
Diverticular disease of the colon.
Lancet. 2004; 363: 631-639.

 

 

 

 

 

⁷ The scan takes between five minutes and 30 minutes.

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