- Joined
- Oct 23, 2017
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
Are you studying for the step exams or the shelf? Want to see many examples of the same condition in one place so you don't have to wait days to have concepts reinforced? If this sounds like you check out my posts! This post is on Diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis is a diagnosis that you want to make sure you have down for the tests. Truth be told there isn’t too much to test on this topic which makes it a bit easier to hit on some of the universal features that are tested. Lets think about the pattern of how diverticulitis shows up on exams:
1.) Patient population: generally older males are the “classic” patient demographic for diverticulitis.
2.) Left lower quadrant abdominal pain: this really is the only feature that will be specific to diverticulitis. The region of abdominal pain is key.
3.) Fever: Patients will consistently have a fever with this diagnosis. (Really this is most important in the context of the abdominal pain)
4.) Leukocytosis: in patients with a CBC, look for this elevated white count (Really this is most important in the context of the abdominal pain and the fever)
5.) Best test to confirm diagnosis: if you are considering diverticulitis as a diagnosis, getting a abdominal CT scan with both oral and IV contrast is the ideal test to confirm the diagnosis.
Check out the examples below!
I can't post links just yet (just started on SDN) but go to the website stepwards and search Diverticulitis to find the archive of questions that this post corresponds to.
Diverticulitis is a diagnosis that you want to make sure you have down for the tests. Truth be told there isn’t too much to test on this topic which makes it a bit easier to hit on some of the universal features that are tested. Lets think about the pattern of how diverticulitis shows up on exams:
1.) Patient population: generally older males are the “classic” patient demographic for diverticulitis.
2.) Left lower quadrant abdominal pain: this really is the only feature that will be specific to diverticulitis. The region of abdominal pain is key.
3.) Fever: Patients will consistently have a fever with this diagnosis. (Really this is most important in the context of the abdominal pain)
4.) Leukocytosis: in patients with a CBC, look for this elevated white count (Really this is most important in the context of the abdominal pain and the fever)
5.) Best test to confirm diagnosis: if you are considering diverticulitis as a diagnosis, getting a abdominal CT scan with both oral and IV contrast is the ideal test to confirm the diagnosis.
Check out the examples below!
I can't post links just yet (just started on SDN) but go to the website stepwards and search Diverticulitis to find the archive of questions that this post corresponds to.
