title: Adenomyosis: a life-cycle approach.
abstract: The life-cycle approach to endometriosis highlighted unexpected features of the condition; the same approach was therefore applied to gain insight into the clinical features of adenomyosis and to draw a comparison with endometriosis. This is possible today thanks to new imaging techniques enabling non-invasive diagnosis of adenomyosis. The specificity and sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging and transvaginal ultrasound remain uncertain. Unlike endometriosis, little information is available on the presence of classic adenomyosis in adolescents, except for rare cystic forms that may not represent the true disease. Adenomyosis is most likely to affect adult women, although most reported incidences are still based on post-hysterectomy studies, and are affected by diligence in histopathologic diagnosis and the adopted cut-off point. The traditionally accepted associations of adult adenomyosis, such as multiparity, a link to infertility and its effect on pregnancy are uncertain. Active adenomyosis has been found in pre- and peri-menopausal women and in postmenopausal women receiving tamoxifen. In conclusion, major diagnostic limitations and the systematic bias of hysterectomy make it difficult to draw firm conclusions from existing evidence. In addition, no information is available on the natural history of adenomyosis and no study has systematically evaluated its existence in adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benagiano
authors.affiliation: Leuven and Leuven Institute for Fertility and Embryology, Catholic University, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: ivo.brosens@med.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brosens
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Sciences Section, University of Leicester, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester LE2 7LX, UK.
authors.forename: Marwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habiba
mesh_terms: D062788:Adenomyosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D059351:Organ Sparing Treatments; D057285:Precision Medicine; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: adenomyosis; adolescent; adult; post-menopausal; pregnancy