Endometriosis

The mere presence of pain in the pelvic area requires a gynecological consultation!

The only accurate way of diagnosing endometriosis is laparoscopy, which is sometimes combined with biopsy. Laparoscopily, endometriosis can be both detected and treated surgically.

To diagnose endometriosis or another condition that causes pelvic pain, the doctor will do a history (he asks questions related to these symptoms, their location and when they manifest pain). Then, the doctor will perform a pelvic exam to detect any cysts on the reproductive organs or scar tissue from the uterus. Endometrial growths can often be detected only if they led to the formation of a cyst.

Other tests for physical signs of endometriosis are:

Transvaginal ultrasound

Transvaginal ultrasound consists in introducing a tube into the vagina to obtain images of reproductive organs.

Laparoscopy

As the endometrial implants can not be detected by other tests, a frequent method to determine accurately the diagnosis of endometriosis is laparoscopy.
The surgeon makes a small incision below the navel, trough which he inserts a thin tube (laparoscope) that allows viewing of pelvic or abdominal organs. In women with endometriosis, laparoscopy will provide information about the location and size of implants, information to be used in choosing treatment. Sometimes, the signs and symptoms are so obvious that laparoscopy is not necessary.

Blood analysis

Researchers have tried to find a substance whose blood dosing allows the diagnosis of the disease (markers). On the other hand, by determination of markers dozes, it is possible to assess the evolution of the disease.
In endometriosis we screen for CA 125 marker, whose normal level is 35 international units / ml of blood. When the level is high there is a suspicion of endometriosis.
Unfortunately, some patients have a normal level of CA 125, although suffering from endometriosis. This test shows an increase in women with endometriosis in an advanced state, but it cannot detect mild to moderate cases of endometriosis.
On the other hand, increasing levels of CA 125 is produced in other diseases such as ovarian or uterine cancer.