Diagnosis

Diverticulitis is usually diagnosed during an acute attack. Because abdominal pain can indicate a number of problems, your doctor will need to rule out other causes for your symptoms.

Your doctor will start with a physical examination, which will include checking your abdomen for tenderness. Women generally have a pelvic examination as well to rule out pelvic disease.

After that, the following tests are likely:

• Blood and urine tests, to check for signs of infection.
• A pregnancy test for women of childbearing age, to rule out pregnancy as a cause of abdominal pain.
• A liver enzyme test, to rule out liver-related causes of abdominal pain.
• A stool test, to rule out infection in people who have diarrhea.
• A CT scan, which can identify inflamed or infected pouches and confirm a diagnosis of diverticulitis. CT can also indicate the severity of diverticulitis and guide treatment.