The objectives of this thesis are to develop a CAD (computer-aided detection/diagnosis) system capable of distinguishing between colon cancer and diverticulitis on computed tomography images of the colon (CTC), and to create an algorithm for the automatic segmentation of these volumes. Diverticulitis, or symptomatic diverticulosis, consists of the formation of growths in the colonic lumen which, when infected, inflame the abdominal wall; its incidence is increasing in Western countries. The symptoms of diverticulitis can overlap with those of colon cancer, the early diagnosis of which is crucial to improving the chances of recovery. Colonoscopy with biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing colon cancer, but it is an invasive and demanding examination for the patient.