Radiology of colonic diverticular disease.

Nonsurgical diagnosis of colonic diverticulosis and most complications of diverticular disease is best established by barium enema study. Multiple diverticula can produce narrowing and shortening of the colon that is unrelated to any complication occurring in the diverticula. The diagnosis of diverticulitis is made radiologically be demonstrating the effects on the lumen of the bowel of the pathologic changes visible on gross inspection, eg, local abscess, intramural dissection, fistula, obstruction. Frequently the radiologic findings are subtle.