Colonic haustral pattern in relation to pressure activity and presence of diverticula.

The correlation between the haustral pattern in the sigmoid colon, on the one hand, and the pressure activity and presence of diverticula, on the other, was examined in 184 patients, subjected to both X-ray examination and sigmoid pressure measurement. No correlation was found between an increased haustral pattern and a high pressure activity. Only a special S-shaped haustral pattern showed a slight correlation to an increased pressure activity. An interpretation of colonic haustral pattern in terms of muscular activity, therefore, seems unwarranted. A significant correlation was found between an increased haustral pattern and the presence of sigmoid diverticula.