Diagnosis of Diverticular problems

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Diverticulosis

Diverticulosis is often discovered by chance during tests for something else. The pouches may be noticed during a barium enema, when a liquid is inserted into the intestine through the anus and an X-ray of the abdomen is taken. Alternatively the pouches may be discovered during an endoscopy, when a thin tube with a camera is put down the throat and into the digestive system.

Diverticulosis may be misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), because some of the symptoms such as colicky pain, are similar. Your GP will try to exclude other causes of the symptoms such as IBS or colon cancer by carrying out some tests.

Diverticulitis

This is diagnosed by the presence of severe abdominal pain. Abdominal pain is a common and non-specific symptom of various things so occasionally diverticulitis may be misdiagnosed as appendicitis or, in women as a gynaecological problem such as fibroids.

A barium enema or colonoscopy (when a thin flexible tube is inserted into the intestine through the anus to transmit pictures of the intestine) may be used to confirm the diagnosis.

Ultrasound scans or computerised tomography (CT scan) may be used to show thickening in the wall of the colon.