Diagnostics of endometriosis

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Ongoing Projects

SBU assess relevant and well-conducted research and investigate what effect different interventions have, if there are any risks or ethical problems, and what is most cost-effective in the areas of health care, dentistry, social services, and within the areas of functional disability and work environment.

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Planned to be published: Quarter 2, 2027

Background

Endometriosis is a benign, chronic, inflammatory, and estrogen-dependent condition with an unclear cause. The disease is common, affecting about one in ten women of reproductive age. Symptoms are most prominent during this period but can also occur before puberty and after menopause. The most common symptoms are severe menstrual pain, bowel and urinary symptoms, and pain during intercourse. A very small group may develop a severe form of the disease, which can affect quality of life and impose significant limitations on everyday activities.

Endometriosis involves the presence of uterine lining-like cells outside the uterus, often on the peritoneum in the lower abdominal cavity, but also in deeper tissues, such as ovarian cysts or the muscular layer of the uterus. In rare cases, these cells can be found in distant locations like the lungs or surgical scars. Endometriosis is a common cause of involuntary infertility in women.

A fundamental challenge is that diagnosis is often difficult, as studies show that the time from symptom onset to diagnosis may be several years. In specialized care, different diagnostic methods are used with a combined good test accuracy. High-resolution transvaginal ultrasound is commonly employed, although it is not available everywhere.

More recent research on alternative diagnostic methods, such as so-called liquid biopsy markers in saliva or blood, is promising. Furthermore, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and related technologies are predicted to play a major role in future diagnostic accuracy.

Objective

This project aims to identify and assess published systematic reviews to investigate which areas there have systematic and reliable evidence and in which areas such knowledge is missing, and identify the eventual need for more primary studies on the subject.

Project group

Experts

  • Sara Alson; MD, PhD, ass. Prof, senior consultant, Dept of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Skåne University Hospital – Malmö/Lund
  • Matts Olovsson; MD, PhD, Professor, senior consultant, Dept of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Uppsala University Hospital

From SBU

  • Jan Holst, project director
  • Per Lytsy, assistant project director
  • Maja Kärrman Fredriksson, information specialist
  • Maria Hoppe, project administrator
  • Laura Lintamo, analyst
  • Jenny Odeberg, head of project
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