title: Endometriosis: the role of magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Several imaging options are available today to diagnose endometriosis. Currently, the two techniques most used are sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Three-dimensional (3D) sonography has proved to be particularly sensitive in the diagnosis of endometriosis. In recent years, MRI has emerged as a high reproducible method to explore endometriosis; moreover, its capability to evaluate tissue signal is an extremely powerful system in the differential diagnosis with other pathologies and for the identification of malignant degeneration. The purpose of this paper is to present the state-of-the-art of MRI of endometriosis by performing a review of the literature and showing the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and classification of endometriosis. In this work, the technique that should be used, MR findings of endometriosis and the principles of differential diagnosis are explained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), Monserrato, Italy lucasaba@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sulcis
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Benedetto
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiological Sciences, Oncology, and Pathology, University of Rome Sapienza, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo Nicola
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: de Cecco
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiological Sciences, Oncology, and Pathology, University of Rome Sapienza, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piga
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.), Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerriero
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Endometriosis; gynecology; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); ultrasound