As small diverticula do not often cause any problems or symptoms, diverticulosis is often discovered by chance during tests for colorectal cancer or other intestinal problems. The condition may be misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and the doctor should run a number of tests to try to exclude this.
In contrast, diverticulitis is usually diagnosed during an acute attack. The doctor will examine the abdomen for tenderness and run a number of tests to exclude other conditions with similar symptoms such as colorectal cancer, appendicitis or fibroids.
These tests may include the following:
Barium Enema
The intestine may be examined using a barium enema (an X-ray of the bowel). A white liquid called barium is placed into the bowel by enema, where it fills and coats the lining of the bowel, creating a silhouette of the rectum, colon and a portion of the small intestine. Barium acts as a contrast dye and so enables the specialist to view the bowel on an X-ray screen to identify the pouches characteristic of diverticular disease. This procedure will also help to eliminate other causes, such as bowel cancer.
Blood Tests
Tests may be carried out to check the white blood cell count for signs of infection or inflammation.
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
A flexible, lighted tube known as a sigmoidoscope may be passed into the rectum and sigmoid (the last 60 cm of the colon). An image of the inside of the rectum and colon is transmitted to a monitor so that the doctor can carefully examine the lining of these organs for signs of inflammation or ulceration of the pouches.
Scans
Ultrasound scans or computerised tomography (CT scan) may be used to show thickening and inflammation in the wall of the colon.
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