Diagnosis of endometriosis: pelvic endoscopy and imaging techniques

Ivo Brosens, Brosens I, Patrick Puttemans, Puttemans P, Campo R, Rudi Campo, Stephan Gordts, Gordts S, Kinkel K, Karen Kinkel
Best practice & research. Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology · 2004 · vol. 18(2) , pp. 285–303 · doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2004.03.002 · PMID:15157643 · W2064286496
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This paper reviews diagnostic methods for endometriosis, including pelvic endoscopy and various imaging techniques.

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Abstract

Although laparoscopy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of endometriosis, the need for this invasive diagnostic tool is a major stumbling-block in both effective clinical management and for research into this common and debilitating disease. As visual inspection of the pelvis has also major limitations, particularly for the diagnosis of posterior pelvis, bowel and bladder endometriosis, it is not surprising that considerable efforts are being made to improve the diagnosis by imaging techniques. Peritoneal endometriosis and ovarian endometriomata are predominantly haemorrhagic lesions. During laparoscopy, these lesions are readily identified by the presence of old or recent bleeding. Both transvaginal sonography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging have a low sensitivity for the diagnosis of peritoneal and ovarian implants and adhesions. Transvaginal sonography is useful in the diagnosis of ovarian endometriomata, providing the diameter is larger than 2 cm. As transvaginal sonography costs less than MR imaging, transvaginal sonography might be the preferred method of confirming a sizeable endometrioma. Posterior pelvis endometriosis is an infiltrating adenomyotic lesion with microendometriomata. High-resolution transvaginal ultrasonography, and in particular MR imaging, are increasingly used to diagnose the presence and extent of infiltrating lesions and the involvement of rectosigmoid and ureters.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Laparoscopy Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Intestinal Diseases Intestinal Diseases Magnetic Resonance Imaging Ovarian Diseases Ovarian Diseases Ovarian Diseases Severity of Illness Index Ultrasonography Urologic Diseases Urologic Diseases

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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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