What it means
A diverticulum is a small pouch that pushes out through a weak spot in the bowel wall, where blood vessels pass through. Diverticulosis means several are present. They often form in the sigmoid colon, the S-shaped part just before the rectum. On CT they look like small pockets of air or stool poking out from the bowel wall. They are not polyps or tumors.
When it matters
Diverticulosis becomes very common after age 50, and most people with it never have symptoms. It usually needs no treatment or follow-up imaging. A minority later develop problems: a pouch can become inflamed (diverticulitis) or, less often, bleed. Advice to eat more fiber is common. If a report also mentions fat stranding or wall thickening around the pouches, that suggests inflammation rather than plain diverticulosis.
Questions to ask your doctor
- Is there any sign of inflammation, or only the pouches?
- Could the pouches be related to my symptoms?
- Does this change when I should have a colonoscopy?
