Suspected of having endometriosis? What an ultrasound scan can reveal

Do you also experience unbearable stomach aches and back pain during your periods ? Sometimes this pain is so severe that you can't even do your daily activities. Many people dismiss it as "normal." But sometimes the cause of this extreme pain can be a condition called endometriosis . So when you talk to a doctor about these symptoms and he asks you to have an ultrasound scan , what should you really expect? Can this accurately diagnose the disease? Let's talk about this in a simple way that you can understand.

First, let's see, what is this endometriosis ultrasound?

Simply put, this is a test that looks inside the body through images. It's like taking a photo. It helps your doctor get an idea of ​​whether you might have endometriosis.

Now think about it, what is endometriosis? Normally, a woman's uterus has a lining like a wall inside it. We call this the endometrium. This tissue is shed every month with menstruation. What happens to someone with endometriosis is that pieces of tissue similar to the tissue that should be inside the uterus grow outside the uterus, for example in your ovaries , bladder, intestines , etc.

The problem is, the tissue in these areas behaves like the tissue in the uterus. That is, during menstruation, this tissue also thickens and bleeds. But because this blood has nowhere to go out of the body, the surrounding areas swell, cysts or masses form. That's why you experience unbearable pain.

So, an ultrasound scan is used to check for large cysts or lumps that have formed in these areas. But the most important thing here is that an ultrasound scan alone cannot confirm endometriosis 100%. The reason is that this scan only picks up large cysts, it does not see very small pieces of tissue. However, the information obtained from this can be very helpful for your doctor to decide what to do next and what kind of treatment to give.

This is often done through a scan through the vagina , which we call a transvaginal ultrasound.

So can a scan detect endometriosis? Or not?

This is a question that many people have. The answer is both 'yes' and 'no'. A scan can detect some features of endometriosis, and some features cannot. Let's look at the table below to understand this clearly.

Now you understand, right? Even if you see something that looks like a lump on a scan, you can't say for sure that it's endometriosis. The only way to know for sure is to have surgery (called a laparoscopy ) to take a piece of that tissue and examine it.

Why am I being asked to have this ultrasound scan?

There may be several reasons why your doctor recommends this scan.

• Getting closer to a diagnosis: Imagine that your friend “Nimali” is having the same severe pain as you. When the doctor does a scan, he finds a cyst on her ovary. Now the doctor thinks it could be endometriosis. It also helps to rule out other conditions (such as fibroids) that could be causing these symptoms. In other words, it’s like a signpost when you’re on the road.
• Monitor the condition: Sometimes your doctor may start you on a treatment, such as birth control pills, to reduce the pain. Then, after a while, they will do another scan to see if the size of the cyst has decreased or changed. This is also used to see if the treatment is successful.
• Preparing for surgery: If you decide to have a laparoscopy, it is essential to have a scan before the procedure. It is like a map. The surgeon can see exactly where the tumors are, how big they are, and whether they are close to sensitive organs such as the bladder and intestines before the operation. If necessary, a specialist such as a urologist may also be involved in the surgery.

How should I prepare for the scan?

This doesn't require much preparation. The most important thing is to follow the instructions given to you by your doctor or the place where you were told to have the scan.

• Sometimes you'll be told to empty your bladder .
• Another time, he tells me to fill my bladder (and drink plenty of water) and come back .

This will vary depending on what you expect to see from the scan. So follow the instructions exactly and do it accordingly.

What actually happens during the scan?

There's nothing to worry about. It allows you to get a good look inside your pelvic cavity, including your ovaries, bladder, and the area around your uterus. Let's take a step-by-step look at what happens during a transvaginal scan.

1. First, the ultrasound technician will very gently insert a lubricated, thin, rod-like device (probe) into your vagina.

2. This device emits sound waves. When these sound waves hit the organs inside and bounce back, they create an image on a computer screen.

3. The technician moves this device very gently and slowly, taking images from different angles.

4. These images appear on the screen. Sometimes you will also have the opportunity to see this screen.

Typically, this entire process can take between 30 minutes and an hour .

Is this painful?

For most people, this is not a very painful procedure, but it can be uncomfortable. Especially if you have severe endometriosis, you may feel some pain when inserting or moving the probe. If you feel any pain, don't be embarrassed or afraid to tell the technician right away. He or she can then do the test more gently.

Are there any risks with this scan?

No. An ultrasound scan is a very safe test . One of the biggest advantages is that you are not exposed to radiation like an X-ray. The sound waves used in this test are completely harmless.

The only risk, as mentioned earlier, is the discomfort or pain that may be felt during the test.

What do the scan results say?

The doctor will explain to you what your results are based on the report you receive after the scan. The results can come in several ways.

• Normal results: Your scan may show that there are no problems. But remember what we talked about earlier? There may be small amounts of endometriosis that are not visible on the scan (superficial endometriosis). So, a normal scan does not mean that you do not have endometriosis. If you still have symptoms, your doctor may refer you for other tests.
• Endometriosis symptoms: The report may mention symptoms related to endometriosis, for example, the presence of a “chocolate cyst” (endometrioma) on the ovaries or a lump in the intestines.

Based on these results, your doctor will decide what to do next. He may order further tests, such as an MRI scan. Or, he may recommend a laparoscopy to confirm the diagnosis 100%. Or, he may start treatment to control your symptoms.

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