Comprehensive Review of Endometriosis Based on Imaging Findings: What Radiologists Need to Know

Hyun Jeong Kim, Eun Ji Lee, Seong Sook Hong, Jiyoung Hwang, Yun‐Woo Chang, Bo Da Nam, Jewon Jeong, Sung Hwan Bae
Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology · 2025 · vol. 86(5) , pp. 720 · doi:10.3348/jksr.2024.0104 · PMID:41113372 · PMC12531657 · W4414620347
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This review outlines the diverse imaging findings of endometriosis, emphasizing MRI's role in characterizing lesions, assessing disease extent, and informing treatment decisions.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This pictorial review examines endometriosis with an emphasis on how radiologists can interpret imaging findings, describing disease entities (endometrioma, deep infiltrating endometriosis, and superficial peritoneal endometriosis), key pelvic anatomy, and MRI/ultrasound characteristics used in evaluation. It reports that MRI is considered the most effective modality for mapping deep infiltrating lesions and assessing extent, while typical ovarian endometrioma ultrasound features include homogeneous “ground-glass” echogenicity, smooth walls, limited locules, lack of internal vascularity, and characteristic MRI signs such as T1 hyperintense multiplicity, T2 shading, and the T2 dark spot sign. A stated limitation is that laparoscopy with histologic confirmation is the gold standard diagnosis, so imaging patterns are presented within the context of non-definitive diagnosis. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it provides radiology-focused guidance on imaging spectra, anatomy-based compartment mapping, and criteria for diagnosing endometriosis (including distinctions involving adenomyosis).

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Abstract

Endometriosis is a complex and challenging medical condition characterized by endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. MRI plays a crucial role in characterizing lesions and assessing disease. Radiologists must be familiar with the diverse entities and imaging findings associated with endometriosis, considering its locations and atypical manifestations, to accurately diagnose endometriosis and formulate effective treatment plans.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (56)

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