Diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon. A comparison of CT, colonic enema and laparoscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of laparoscopy, CT, colonic enema (CE), and laboratory tests (white blood cell count (WBC), sedimentation rate (SR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosing diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon.


METHODS
The diagnostic methods were prospectively evaluated in 88 patients, 30 of whom were referred for laparoscopy.


RESULTS
Fifty-two patients were found to have sigmoid diverticulitis: 20 patients by laparoscopy, 21 by CT, and 11 by CE combined with one positive laboratory test. Laparoscopy proved to be superior to the other diagnostic methods in diagnosing diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon. CT had a high specificity (1.0; 95% CI: 0.92-1.0) but low sensitivity (0.69; 95% CI: 0.56-0.79) in detecting diverticulitis. CE had a higher sensitivity (0.82; 95% CI: 0.71-0.90) but a lower specificity (0.81; 95% CI: 0.67-0.91) than CT.


CONCLUSIONS
CT was the best method for diagnosing abdominal pathology outside the colon. CT can be recommended as the first examination in seriously ill patients where abscesses and other causes of the symptoms than diverticulitis must first be ruled out. Laparoscopy is probably the most accurate method in diagnosing diverticulitis.
Stefánsson
T
T
Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Nyman
R
R
Nilsson
S
S
Ekbom
A
A
Påhlman
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004733:Enema; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012488:Salpingitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015415:Biomarkers