Diverticulitis Diagnosis

Your medical history.

This is the most important tool at your physician’s disposal for a correct and accurate diagnosis of diverticulitis. As hard as it may be, try to provide your physician with a complete history of your health.

Beyond that, your physician will use several examinations to determine if your symptoms indicate diverticulitis. A physical exam that indicates tenderness in the lower left abdomen is one indication.

He may also perform a barium enema x-ray to determine the extent of the disorder. And he may also ask you to undergo a flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. Both of these tests are done through the rectum with a lighted, flexible endoscope. Your physician can view the colon from the inside. This provides invaluable information about the health problem.

Your doctor also has several other tools at his disposable that he may use to help him diagnosis this condition. He may ask you to undergo a blood test. He’ll be specifically testing your white blood cell count. An elevated count indicates the presence of an infection.

He may also want you to go through a CT scan. This gives him a better view of the pouches that may be inflamed or infected. This is nothing more than a series of computer-directed x-rays that provide a comprehensive view of your internal organs.