Diagnosis and Therapeutic Advances in Endometriosis

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 May 2026 | Viewed by 583

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Morpho-Functional Sciences Department, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: morphology and embryology; oncology; artificial intelligence; machine learning algorithms; textural analysis; mpMRI
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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: anatomy; infectious diseases; medical ethics; medical informatics; surgery; obstetrics and gynecology; nutrition and dietetics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endometriosis is a chronic, often debilitating gynecological disorder that affects millions of women worldwide. Despite significant progress, clinical management of the disorder remains challenging, and optimal strategies for diagnosis and management continue to evolve. Given the multifaceted nature of this disease, which impacts not only reproductive health but also general well-being, advancing our understanding is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which aims to explore current advances in the causation, diagnosis, and management of endometriosis. This topic aligns closely with the interdisciplinary scope of Healthcare, promoting innovative, patient-centered approaches in medicine and public health.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and comprehensive reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) endometriosis causation, novel diagnostic tools, advances in surgical and medical therapies, reproductive outcomes, quality of life assessments, and interdisciplinary models of care.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Carmen Bianca Crivii
Guest Editor

Dr. Roxana-Denisa Capraș
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pathophysiology
  • diagnosis
  • therapeutic strategies
  • reproductive health
  • chronic pelvic pain
  • minimally invasive surgery
  • fertility preservation
  • quality of life
  • women’s health

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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20 pages, 2127 KB  
Systematic Review
The Diagnostic Performance of Transvaginal Ultrasound for Posterior Compartment Endometriosis Compared to Laparoscopic and Histopathological Findings: A Systematic Review
by Roxana-Denisa Capraș, Iulia Clara Badea, Mădălina Moldovan, Adriana Ioana Gaia-Oltean, Alexandru-Florin Badea and Teodora Telecan
Healthcare 2025, 13(20), 2548; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13202548 - 10 Oct 2025
Viewed by 179
Abstract
Background: Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) frequently affects the posterior pelvic compartment, where accurate non-invasive imaging is essential for diagnosis and surgical planning. Aim: This systematic review evaluates the diagnostic performance of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) in detecting posterior compartment DIE, specifically rectosigmoid lesions, uterosacral [...] Read more.
Background: Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) frequently affects the posterior pelvic compartment, where accurate non-invasive imaging is essential for diagnosis and surgical planning. Aim: This systematic review evaluates the diagnostic performance of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) in detecting posterior compartment DIE, specifically rectosigmoid lesions, uterosacral ligament involvement, and pouch of Douglas obliteration. Material and Methods: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed for studies published between 2015 and 2025. Eligible studies assessed the accuracy of TVUS for posterior compartment DIE using laparoscopy and histology as reference standards. Data on sensitivity, specificity, and overall diagnostic accuracy were extracted or derived. The study’s quality was evaluated using the QUADAS-2 tool. Results: Thirty eligible studies were included. The mean sensitivities and specificities reported in the included studies reached 83.05% and 90.53% for rectosigmoid disease, 78.07% and 90.49% for uterosacral ligament involvement, and 79.58% and 89.75% for pouch of Douglas obliteration, respectively. Adjunctive techniques such as gel sonovaginography, rectal water contrast, or saline instillation into the pouch of Douglas were described, but their use was inconsistent. Marked heterogeneity in patient preparation, scanning protocols, and reporting limited comparability across studies. Despite this, TVUS demonstrated diagnostic performance within a similar range to that reported for MRI in prior systematic reviews, with the advantages of lower cost, accessibility, and integration into routine gynecological practice. Conclusions: TVUS is consistently reported as a reliable and cost-effective imaging modality and, in line with international guidelines, should be considered the first-line option for posterior compartment DIE, though further standardization of scanning and reporting protocols is needed to optimize reproducibility and clinical utility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis and Therapeutic Advances in Endometriosis)
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