MRI for Depicting Deep Endometriosis

Women having surgery for endometriosis face a lot of uncertainty about what will be found.

Unfortunately, many imaging technologies don’t accurately depict endometriosis. CT and ultrasound generally only detect ovarian cysts caused by endometriosis, but don’t show the lesions themselves. Many times, doctors must perform surgery to make a diagnosis.

Things may be changing. Published in the online edition of Radiology, a new study on using MRI to detect deep endometriosis shows promise. With an MRI, radiologists might be able to not only diagnose deep endometriosis, but also accurately locate lesions before surgery. Deep endometriosis requires surgical excision.

The researchers, from the Department of Radiology at Erasme Hospital and the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium, studied 41 women. Participants were aged 20-46, and doctors suspected they had endometriosis. MRI was performed before surgery.

Results: MRI accurately diagnosed 26 of 27 cases of deep endometriosis, including specific locations of deep endometrial lesions. MRI also accurately depicted the degree of colon wall invasion.

“Pelvic MRI at 3 Tesla is a noninvasive technique that allows a complete examination of the pelvis. It accurately depicts all locations of deep endometriosis,” noted the study’s lead author, Nathalie Hottat, M.D.

On a personal note, I can certainly see the value of MRI for diagnosis and more accurate detection of endometriosis. Obtaining a diagnosis before surgery can greatly reduce anxiety and perhaps generate a referral to a surgeon who specializes in endometriosis. As someone who went into surgery only aware that there were large masses in my ovaries (from CT), I certainly would have appreciated knowing beforehand what I was dealing with. I would have had much less anxiety knowing my condition wasn’t life threatening, and I would have sought out a surgeon who specializes in the illness. It might have saved me the trouble of subsequent surgeries with a different doctor.

If you suspect you suffer from endometriosis, ask your doctor about an MRI before surgery. Even if you know you have the disorder, an MRI could give your doctor valuable information for planning which type of surgery will be most appropriate for you.

(Image via flickr)