[Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvis in diagnosing endometriosis]

Widely accepted as an established method in the diagnostic imaging of diseases of the female pelvis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) holds promising potential for the diagnosis of endometriosis. This review describes the general prerequisites for performing MRI scans of the pelvis and presents, based on recent studies, an imaging protocol suited to the diagnosis of endometriosis. Typical manifestations and sites of endometriosis are discussed and illustrated with sample images. For endometriotic cysts and implants, axial T (1)-weighted, fat-saturated turbo spin echo sequences (TSE) have the highest diagnostic value. In diagnosing adenomyosis, sagittal T (2)-weighted TSE sequences visualise changes in the uterine zonal anatomy. In essence, MRI is capable of detecting many manifestations of endometriosis in a non-invasive, yet reliable manner, and its value in relation to laparoscopy must be considered as complementary.