Oxford researchers trial non-invasive diagnostic scans for endometriosis

Researchers led by University of Oxford academic Dr Tatjana Gibbons have successfully trialled non-invasive scans to diagnose endometriosis.

Published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health, the study involved 19 individuals with either strong signs of “pelvic or thoracic endometriosis”, or who had already received a diagnosis. The non-invasive scan was carried out after the intravenous administration of an imaging agent that binds to tissue, and makes endometriosis growths visible on screen. 

The study demonstrated 100% specificity, meaning no false positives were reported. As such, the scan offers a viable alternative to the existing invasive diagnostic procedures. Dr Gibbons told Cherwell: “This imaging method could support patients getting an earlier diagnosis and could help diagnose endometriosis subtypes that can’t be reliably seen non-invasively.” 

Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease, in which cells similar to those found in the uterus grow in other parts of the body, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, but can also spread to the bladder, bowel, and chest. Symptoms such as heavy periods accompanied by severe pain and pain during sex are triggered when endometriosis growths break down but cannot leave the body.  

The condition affects an estimated 10% (190 million) of women of childbearing age. The causes of endometriosis are unknown, though some research has connected it to immune system dysregulation. The disease can also have significant impacts on fertility, with 25-50% of infertile women having endometriosis. 

At present, there are no known cures for the disease. 

Typically, diagnosis requires invasive laparoscopic surgery, which involves directly observing tissue or taking samples for examination. The complexity and expense of the procedure often lead to delays in treatment and the continuation of suffering for the patient, with one study by the charity Endometriosis UK suggesting wait times have reached an average of nine years. Currently, around 40% of surgical procedures produce negative results. Gibbons hopes the study will tackle these waiting times, and “empower the development of new therapies”. She added that the next step for the pilot study is a larger clinical trial, which she hopes will validate the team’s findings. 

Oxford Women in STEM Society told Cherwell: “The pilot scheme is a positive step, but it also highlights how delayed progress in this area has been…Conditions like endometriosis have been consistently underfunded and dismissed, which has led to real harm.”

The society hopes that the study will not only improve treatment timelines, but also “force a shift” in attitudes towards women’s pain by healthcare companies and professionals. 

The Oxford study has made national news, and was featured in an episode of Saturday Night Live UK. As part of the “Weekend Update” skit, the study was used in a joke about the pain that has come to be associated with female health procedures.