Diverticulitis: an evaluation by computed tomography and contrast enema.

The role of a contrast enema and computed tomography (CT) was evaluated in 228 patients with a discharge diagnosis of acute diverticulitis. Forty-nine percent of these patients eventually required surgery. In the surgical group, 90% of contrast enemas and 69% of CT examinations reported either diverticulitis or findings compatible with diverticulitis. In patients treated medically, the negative results were higher with both modalities, although it is believed that a number of these patients were misdiagnosed. The contrast enema and CT influenced the decision for surgery in 17% and 6%, respectively, in patients undergoing these examinations.