Adenomyosis. Diagnosis and steps towards a molecular analysis

Adenomyosis is a common condition of the uterus and is closely associated with endometriosis. About 70% of the women that have adenomyosis suffer from symptoms like heavy menstrual bleeding and pain during menstruation, but adenomyosis can also cause infertility and complications during pregnancy and labor. In order to prevent disease progression and choose optimal treatment options, it is essential to diagnose adenomyosis early.\nIn this work, we investigated the role of 3-dimensional ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of adenomyosis. As a result, we developed a diagnostic prediction model that helps clinicians diagnose adenomyosis easier. We surprisingly found that a well-established marker for adenomyosis-diagnosis in MRI was not significant in a younger population, but found a new, specific predictor.\nWe further investigated if it would be possible to obtain adenomyosis tissue without removing the uterus. We managed to obtain adenomyosis samples with ultrasound-guided biopsies without serious complications. We found that those biopsies can be used for a variety of molecular investigations. Those can help understanding adenomyosis on a deeper level.