Diverticulitis overview
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]
Overview
Diverticulitis is a common digestive disease particularly found in the colon (the large intestine).[1] Diverticulitis develops from diverticulosis, which involves the formation of pouches (diverticula) on the outside of the colon. Diverticulitis results if one of these diverticula becomes inflamed or infected.[2] The colon can become infected with craters of food stuck inside, which causes abdominal pain.
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Diverticulitis overview from Other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Screening
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Natural History
Complications
Prognosis
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms
When taking a medical history, the doctor may ask about bowel habits, pain, other symptoms, diet, and medications. The physical exam usually involves a digital rectal exam. To perform this test, the doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to detect tenderness, blockage, or blood. The doctor may check stool for signs of bleeding and test blood for signs of infection.
Physical Examination
Diverticulitis diagnosis depends on taking a proper history and doing physical examination. The known diagnostic criteria for diverticulitis includes abdominal tenderness especially in the left lower quadrant, leukocytosis and CT scan findings helps in disease confirmation. Fever is common in diverticulitis patients. Abdominal examination will reveal tenderness, decreased bowel sounds and palpable mass may be felt. In some patients, genitourinary signs of cystitis would occur due to bladder irritation.[3]
Laboratory Findings
Diverticulitis diagnosis starts by taking history precisely and perform physical examination. Lab tests are important in excluding other causes of abdominal pain and any other gastrointestinal disease. These lab tests include CBC, CRP, urinalysis and liver tests. Imaging procedures are important measures in diagnosing diverticulitis including the CT scan and colonoscopy.[4][5]
CT scan
The CT scan is very sensitive (98%) in diagnosing diverticulitis. Using oral or intravenous contrast will have a good impact on the CT scan accuracy. It may also identify patients with more complicated diverticulitis, such as those with an associated abscess. CT also allows for radiologically guided drainage of associated abscesses, possibly sparing a patient from immediate surgical intervention. CT scan is not only important in the diagnosis of diverticulitis but also needed to exclude the cancer possibility in these patients.[6][7][8][9][10]
MRI
Ultrasound
X ray
Other imaging findings
Other diagnostic studies
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Surgery
Prevention
References
- ↑ Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis. National Institute of Health - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2016). https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/diverticulosis-diverticulitis/Pages/overview.aspx Accessed on July 28, 2016
- ↑ Diverticulitis entry at Merriam Webster's Medical dictionary
- ↑ Thompson WG, Patel DG (1986). "Clinical picture of diverticular disease of the colon". Clin Gastroenterol. 15 (4): 903–16. PMID 3536213.
- ↑ Rafferty J, Shellito P, Hyman NH, Buie WD, Standards Committee of American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (2006). "Practice parameters for sigmoid diverticulitis". Dis Colon Rectum. 49 (7): 939–44. doi:10.1007/s10350-006-0578-2. PMID 16741596.
- ↑ Käser SA, Fankhauser G, Glauser PM, Toia D, Maurer CA (2010). "Diagnostic value of inflammation markers in predicting perforation in acute sigmoid diverticulitis". World J Surg. 34 (11): 2717–22. doi:10.1007/s00268-010-0726-7. PMID 20645093.
- ↑ Schreyer AG, Layer G, German Society of Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) as well as the German Society of General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) in collaboration with the German Radiology Society (DRG) (2015). "S2k Guidlines for Diverticular Disease and Diverticulitis: Diagnosis, Classification, and Therapy for the Radiologist". Rofo. 187 (8): 676–84. doi:10.1055/s-0034-1399526. PMID 26019048.
- ↑ Neff CC, vanSonnenberg E (1989). "CT of diverticulitis. Diagnosis and treatment". Radiol Clin North Am. 27 (4): 743–52. PMID 2657852.
- ↑ Ambrosetti P (2016). "Acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis: clinical expressions, therapeutic insights, and role of computed tomography". Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 9: 249–57. doi:10.2147/CEG.S110428. PMC 4993273. PMID 27574459.
- ↑ Andeweg CS, Wegdam JA, Groenewoud J, van der Wilt GJ, van Goor H, Bleichrodt RP (2014). "Toward an evidence-based step-up approach in diagnosing diverticulitis". Scand J Gastroenterol. 49 (7): 775–84. doi:10.3109/00365521.2014.908475. PMID 24874087.
- ↑ Goh V, Halligan S, Taylor SA, Burling D, Bassett P, Bartram CI (2007). "Differentiation between diverticulitis and colorectal cancer: quantitative CT perfusion measurements versus morphologic criteria--initial experience". Radiology. 242 (2): 456–62. doi:10.1148/radiol.2422051670. PMID 17255417.