Description
Diverticulitis is a gastrointestinal disease that occurs when small pouches in the large intestine become inflamed or infected. Your provider may need the test to help guide your treatment and need for more aggressive management.
Symptoms
- Sudden or gradual lower abdominal pain
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Blood in stool
Causes
- Genetics
- Diet low in fiber and high in red meat
- Lack of physical activity
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Certain medicines, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids
- Low vitamin D levels
This panel includes the following test:
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) with eGFR
Fasting not required.
Additional information about each test is listed below
A complete blood count (CBC) is performed for a patient suspected of having diverticulitis to check for an elevated white blood cell (WBC) count, which can indicate the presence of inflammation and infection associated with the condition; essentially, the CBC helps assess the body's inflammatory response to diverticulitis, although a normal WBC count does not completely rule out the diagnosis.
A Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) with eGFR blood test measures a variety of substances in your blood to assess your overall health. The test can help identify problems with your liver, kidneys, and metabolism, and can be used for diagnosis, screening, and monitoring.
