Importance of Transvaginal Ultrasound Applying Elastography for Identifying Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis – A Feasibility Study

M L Schiffmann, Marie‐Luise Schiffmann, Sebastian Daniel Schäfer, S D Schäfer, Andreas N. Schüring, A N Schüring, L Kiesel, Ludwig Kiesel, Cristina Sauerland, C Sauerland, Martin Götte, M Götte, Ralf Schmitz, R Schmitz
Ultraschall in der Medizin (Stuttgart, Germany : 1980) · 2014 · vol. 35(06) , pp. 561–565 · doi:10.1055/s-0034-1366747 · PMID:25014480 · W2314770947
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-06 ⓘ

Transvaginal ultrasound elastography measured strain ratios in the Douglas's cul-de-sac, finding a significant difference in women with palpable nodules indicative of endometriosis.

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

This feasibility study evaluated whether transvaginal ultrasound elastography could identify lesions indicative of deep infiltrating endometriosis in 48 women with clinical symptoms suggestive of endometriosis, comparing ultrasound elastography findings with clinical examination. Strain values were measured by vaginal probe during compression–decompression at two regions of interest in the Douglas’ cul-de-sac, and the key result was a significant difference in the ratio of strain values between women with a palpable nodule versus those without (p = 0.002). The authors frame the work as feasibility, with the main limitation being the small sample and exploratory design rather than establishment of diagnostic performance. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it tests transvaginal elastography strain ratios for detecting deep infiltrating endometriosis lesions in symptomatic women.

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Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the presence of a lesion indicative of endometriosis with transvaginal elastography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Transvaginal ultrasound and clinical examination were carried out in 48 women with clinical symptoms indicative of endometriosis. In 31 cases strain values were measured at two regions of interest (ROIs) in the Douglas's cul-de-sac during a cycle of compression and decompression with a vaginal probe. RESULTS: A significant difference was found for the ratio of the ROI measuring points in the Douglas' cul-de-sacs of women with a palpable nodule in examination compared to women without a palpable nodule (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The ratio of strain values between two ROIs in the Douglas' s cul-de-sac is associated with the presence of an endometriotic lesion. In the future, these findings could allow for a more detailed pre-surgical evaluation and possibly serve as a novel diagnostic tool for predicting deep infiltrating endometriosis.

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Condition tags

endometriosisdie_deep_infiltrating

MeSH descriptors

Elasticity Imaging Techniques Endometriosis Endosonography Adult Elasticity Imaging Techniques Endometriosis Endometriosis Endosonography Feasibility Studies Female Humans

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