Special Imaging Considerations Diverticulitis and Colon Cancer: Perforated colon cancer can mimic diverticulitis [10]. CT findings that suggest colon cancer rather than diverticulitis include abnormal pericolic lymph nodes (>1 cm in short axis and/or rounded) or a luminal mass [10-12]. Patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis do not have a higher risk of colon cancer than the general population [10]. The prevalence of colon cancer in patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis has been reported to be 0.5% to 0.9% [10,13,14]. Colonoscopy after a diagnosis of uncomplicated diverticulitis is not indicated in the general population. [10,15]. Colonoscopy may have a role in the following situations: 1) patients for whom colonoscopy is indicated for colon cancer screening but in whom it has not yet been performed, 2) patients with abnormal pericolic lymph node(s), 3) patients with a luminal colon mass, and 4) patients with an uncertain diagnosis (eg, inflammatory bowel disease or ischemic colitis) [16]. Colonoscopy in general should be avoided in aUniversity of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California. bPanel Chair, University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics, Madison, Wisconsin. cPanel Vice-Chair, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California. dPenn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania. eUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas; American Gastroenterological Association. fMedstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, Primary care physician. gNYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York. hMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. iMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. jOregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon. kCleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. lSentara Norfolk General Hospital/Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia; American College of Emergency Physicians.
Left Lower Quadrant Pain. Special Imaging Considerations Diverticulitis and Colon Cancer: Perforated colon cancer can mimic diverticulitis [10]. CT findings that suggest colon cancer rather than diverticulitis include abnormal pericolic lymph nodes (>1 cm in short axis and/or rounded) or a luminal mass [10-12]. Patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis do not have a higher risk of colon cancer than the general population [10]. The prevalence of colon cancer in patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis has been reported to be 0.5% to 0.9% [10,13,14]. Colonoscopy after a diagnosis of uncomplicated diverticulitis is not indicated in the general population. [10,15]. Colonoscopy may have a role in the following situations: 1) patients for whom colonoscopy is indicated for colon cancer screening but in whom it has not yet been performed, 2) patients with abnormal pericolic lymph node(s), 3) patients with a luminal colon mass, and 4) patients with an uncertain diagnosis (eg, inflammatory bowel disease or ischemic colitis) [16]. Colonoscopy in general should be avoided in aUniversity of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California. bPanel Chair, University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics, Madison, Wisconsin. cPanel Vice-Chair, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California. dPenn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania. eUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas; American Gastroenterological Association. fMedstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, Primary care physician. gNYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York. hMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. iMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. jOregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon. kCleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. lSentara Norfolk General Hospital/Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia; American College of Emergency Physicians.