Role of imaging in the preoperative assessment of pelvic and extrapelvic endometriosis: a pictorial essay

Genital / Reproductive system female, MR, Structured reporting, Education and training, Obstetrics Authors: M. Peri, F. Vernuccio, D. Picone, P. Purpura, G. Lo Re, G. La Tona, S. Salerno, A. Lo Casto; Palermo/IT DOI: 10.1594/ecr2015/C-1064 Aims and objectives -To create a MR radiological template for endometriosis -To review MR reports and images in patients with endometriosis to assess the accurancy of the reports.

and materials Endometriosis, firstly described by John Sampson in 1921, and is characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue. If this latter is located within the uterine myometrium it is called adenomyosis or internal endometriosis; if it is outside uterus it is called endometriosis. This ectopic tissue is gonadic hormone responsive, as normal eutopic endometrial tissue: this phenomenon causes an inflammatory fibrotic reaction, which is responsible for the clinical symptoms [1]. Being often asymptomatic and sometimes “microscopic”, its real incidence and prevalence are not definite. However,...

Endometriosis is a more and more frequent disease in the clinical context, being often an incidental finding. Therefore, it is mandatory that the radiologist takes into account the diagnosis of endometriosis, mainly in women of childbearing age who perform imaging examinations without specific symptoms and signs, in women with chronic pelvic pain and infertility and in patients with already known endometrial lesions. In this latter situation, it is necessary to recognize the different characteristics of disease presentation and major development sites. Failure to recognize changes...

Aim of our poster is to provide a methodology for the study of endometriosis, as a support for the radiologist. Thanks to the study of multi - parametric MRI radiologist 's role in the management of female pelvic pathology, and in particular, in the study of endometriosis , is becoming increasingly important within a multidisciplinary team (radiologist, gynecologist, general surgeon, nephrologist). The goal is to lead a correct clinical- diagnostic - therapeutic management of a disease, which is often an incidental finding in clinical- radiological...

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