HOW IS ENDOMETRIOSIS DIAGNOSED: USE OF X-RAYS, CT SCANS OR ULTRASOUND IN DIAGNOSIS

CT scans (computerised tomography) and ordinary X-rays are of no value in the diagnosis and monitoring of endometriosis. Ultrasound can have a role in some situations.

Ultrasound involves the use of high frequency sound waves to create an image or picture of the body on a screen or film. Over the last decade it has been used increasingly in the diagnosis and management of a number of gynaecological and obstetrical conditions, including the detection of ovarian cysts and determining the age and size of a foetus in early pregnancy.

Ultrasound has a limited role in the diagnosis and monitoring of endometriosis. At present, the machines used are not sensitive enough to detect small implants and adhesions. They can only detect cysts greater than two centimetres in diameter and determine their size and location. Ultrasound cannot determine the nature of a cyst nor can it distinguish it from other types of cysts or conditions.

Ultrasound should not be used as a substitute for laparoscopy to diagnose endometriosis. Its use is limited to confirming the existence of a cyst felt during a pelvic examination and determining its size and location prior to surgery. In some circumstances ultrasound may be used to help monitor the change in the size of a cyst after a laparoscopic diagnosis has been made.

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