Diagnostic Value of Imaging Findings Compared with Pathology in the Diagnosis of Endometriosis

Background & Objective: Laparoscopic and histological evaluation is the most reliable method for confirming the presence of endometriosis; nevertheless, imaging methods may provide useful information. In this study, the diagnostic value of imaging findings for the diagnosis of endometriosis was compared with that of pathology.Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Khorramabad, Lorestan, Iran. The imaging results of 118 patients with symptoms of endometriosis who had undergone ultrasound, Computed Tomography (CT) scan, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and who had a positive result suggestive of endometriosis in at least one of the three modalities, were compared with their pathology reports. Additionally, information such as the history of cesarean section, delivery, laparoscopic procedures, marital status, and type of lesion was collected and analyzed.Results: In this study, the sensitivity of ultrasound for the diagnosis of endometriosis was 93.2%. The sensitivity of MRI for the diagnosis of endometriosis was 98.3%. CT scan had the lowest sensitivity among these three modalities, at 65.8%.Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, ultrasound and MRI have a remarkable ability to diagnose endometriosis with the least number of false negatives due to their high sensitivity. Given their limited sensitivity and high radiation exposure, the use of CT scans for diagnosing endometriosis in the abdominal and pelvic cavities is not practical.