New Noninvasive Imaging Could Cut Years Off Endometriosis Diagnosis

Oxford researchers tested an imaging agent that detects the most common, and hardest to diagnose form of a condition affecting millions of women.

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

The gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis is surgery. For the roughly 11 percent of American women who have the condition, that has meant years of pain, repeated failed scans, and ultimately going under the knife just to get a name for their suffering. A new imaging tool tested at the University of Oxford may make that ordeal unnecessary.

Endometriosis affects women between the ages of 15 and 44, and is especially common among women in their 30s and 40s. The condition can cause severe pain, heavy bleeding, fatigue, and fertility problems. Yet, women typically wait eight to 12 years for diagnosis, cycling through multiple doctor visits and inconclusive scans.