Diverticula are outpouchings of a hollow viscus and can be either true or false.
Occasionally a diverticulum is used in a more general sense to mean the outpouching of other anatomical structures, e.g. frontal intersinus septal cells are hypothesized to form as diverticula from the frontal sinus.
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Terminology
Diverticulum is the singular form, and diverticula is the correct Latin plural form. The terms 'diverticuli' and 'diverticulae' are erroneous and should not be used (cf. septum).
Pathology
Diverticula may be subdivided by their anatomical composition into true and false types:
True diverticula
contains all layers of the wall of the parent organ (typically mucosa, muscular layer and serosa)
uncommon
False diverticula
does not contain all layers (typically mucosa pushed through defect in muscular layer)
the vast majority of all diverticula
e.g. colonic diverticulum
The gastric diverticulum may be true diverticula (congenital) or false diverticula (acquired) 4.
Additionally, diverticula may be subdivided according to mechanism of formation into:
Pulsion diverticula
due to increased luminal pressure
common
Traction diverticula
due to pulling off the wall of the viscus
uncommon
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