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More about Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis:
Definition Causes and symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Prognosis Prevention Resources |
As mentioned, the majority of diverticula do not cause any symptoms, and are often found by coincidence during an examination being performed for some other medical condition.
When diverticula are suspected because a patient begins to have sudden rectal bleeding, the location of the bleeding can be studied by performing an angiography. Angiography involves inserting a tiny tube through an artery in the leg, and moving it up into one of the major arteries of the gastrointestinal system. A particular chemical (contrast medium) which will show up on x-ray films is injected, and the area of bleeding is located by looking for an area where the contrast is leaking into the interior (lumen) of the intestine.
A procedure called endoscopy provides another method for examining the colon and locating the site of bleeding. In endoscopy, a small, flexible scope (endoscope) is inserted through the rectum and into the intestine. The scope usually bears a fiber-optic camera, which allows the view through this endoscope to be projected onto a television screen. The operator can introduce the endoscope further and further through the intestine to find the location of the bleeding.
Diagnosis of diverticulitis is not difficult in patients with previously diagnosed diverticulosis. The presence of abdominal pain and fever in such an individual would make the suspicion of diverticulitis quite high. Examination of the abdomen will usually reveal tenderness to touch, with the patient's abdominal muscles contracting strongly to protect the tender area. During a rectal exam (performed by inserting a finger into the rectum), a doctor may be able to feel an abnormal mass. Touching this mass may prove painful to the patient.
When a practitioner is suspicious of diverticulitis as the cause for the patient's symptoms, he or she will most likely avoid the types of tests usually used to diagnose gastrointestinal disorders. These include barium enema and endoscopy. The concern is that the increased pressure exerted on the intestine during these exams may increase the likelihood of intestinal perforation. After medical treatment for the diverticulitis, these examinations may be performed in order to learn the extent of the patient's disease.
— Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
