Imaging of Endometriosis: The Role of Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance

Valentina Testini, Laura Eusebi, G Grechi, Francesco Bartelli, Giuseppe Guglielmi
In: Current Radiology Reports · 2022 · vol. 10(3) , pp. 21–39 · doi:10.1007/s40134-022-00393-x · W4212994755
article OA: hybrid CC0 ⤵ 6 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

This review evaluates how transvaginal ultrasound and MRI contribute to diagnosing endometriosis locations and guiding treatment planning for this chronic gynecological disease.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

This paper is a narrative review evaluating how imaging—mainly transvaginal sonography (TVUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—contributes to diagnosing different locations of endometriosis and supporting treatment planning, with a focus on pelvic, ovarian endometriomas, and deep infiltrating endometriosis. The authors describe high-level diagnostic approaches, including the limited role of symptoms and laboratory tests (e.g., CA-125), and note that MRI is positioned as a second-line technique after ultrasound; they also outline TVUS systematic compartment-based assessment and consensus terminology from the IDEA group. Reported advantages include high sensitivity/specificity of TVUS for ovarian endometriomas and rectal wall lesions, while explicit limitations include poorer performance for anterior compartment disease (bladder/vesicouterine pouch) and parts of the middle compartment. The paper also discusses an association with adenomyosis (endometrial infiltration into the myometrium). This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it reviews imaging roles of ultrasound and MRI for diagnosis and lesion localization, and it also addresses adenomyosis as a related condition.

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Abstract

Abstract Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by the growth of functional ectopic endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus. It causes pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, or infertility. Diagnosis requires a combination of clinical history, non-invasive and invasive techniques. The aim of the present review was to evaluate the contribution of imaging techniques, mainly transvaginal sonography and magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose different locations and for the most appropriate treatment planning. Endometriosis requires a multidisciplinary teamwork to manage these patients clinically and surgically.

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Condition tags

endometriosisdysmenorrheadyspareuniainfertility

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.

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last seen: 2026-06-10T17:14:06.276822+00:00
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