Endometriosis is a chronic illness that can negatively impact patients' daily lives, fertility, intimate relationships and overall wellbeing. Learn more about how to help your patients with endometriosis with prompt diagnosis and detailed treatment plans.
- What do you need to know about endometriosis diagnosis and treatment? As a gynecologist, it's important to recognize the link between infertility and endometriosis. When making an endometriosis diagnosis or treatment plan, using 3D ultrasound can help ensure early and accurate detection as well as map out treatment options.
- What should your patients understand about endometriosis? Make sure your patients know the symptoms of the disorder, including gastrointestinal and urinary tract symptoms. A history of dysmenorrhea can also indicate endometriosis.
- Can endometriosis cause endometrial cancer? Endometriosis may lead to a greater risk of endometrial cancer. For endometrial cancer, ultrasound is indeed the key to early detection. While classic symptoms and signs are well described in the literature, a point-of-care ultrasound can help measure endometrial thickness and detect endometrial cancer in its early stages.
- Is endometriosis genetic? Polygenic inheritance, or more than one gene controlling a disease, is thought to be responsible for endometriosis, but the exact cause is not certain. Learn how to discuss the genetics of endometriosis with your patients.
- Should you diagnose endometriosis with MRI or transvaginal ultrasound? Diagnosing endometriosis is a complex process that often includes the use of both ultrasound and MRI. Comparing the results of these two imaging modalities, including using 3D ultrasound when possible, can assist in diagnosing endometriosis.
- How can you detect endometriosis using 3D ultrasound? As a gynecologist, knowing how to detect endometriosis with 3D ultrasound is an important skill. While laparoscopy is the gold standard, 3D ultrasound can add important information before surgery, particularly when evaluating deep infiltrating endometriosis.
- What are alternative endometriosis pain relief options? Your patients with endometriosis will likely have questions about pain management. While some medications can help reduce symptoms, alternative medicine can also help with endometriosis pain relief. The options range from acupuncture to medical cannabis.
Endometriosis can be a debilitating disorder, but it can also be managed and its symptoms mitigated by proper care from a skilled healthcare practitioner. Learning about the methods for diagnosis and evaluation, as well as the disorder's causes and potential complications, will help you serve your patients better.
