Oxford University researchers have published a study in The Lancet on a potential non-invasive scan for endometriosis, a condition affecting 1 in 10 women. The DETECT study evaluated 19 women using a specialized SPECT-CT scan and a molecular tracer called maraciclatide. The technique correctly identified the presence or absence of endometriosis in 16 women.
Currently, diagnosis often requires an invasive laparoscopic procedure. The study notes the urgent need for better imaging of superficial peritoneal endometriosis. Dr. Nicholas Leyland, President-elect of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, emphasized that delayed diagnosis leads to chronic pain and nervous system changes. He called endometriosis a "disease of symptoms," adding that many patients are gaslit into believing their pain is normal.