--- title: "Surgical vs clinical dx of endometriosis | Sutter Health" description: "Evidence suggests that clinical dx of endometriosis is more reliable than previously recognized Surgical dx has limitations that could be underappreciated." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/surgical-vs-clinical-dx-of-endometriosis-1055312364" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Surgical vs clinical dx of endometriosis # An evidence-based approach to assessing surgical versus clinical diagnosis of symptomatic endometriosis. Taylor HS, Adamson GD, Diamond MP, Goldstein SR, Horne AW, Missmer SA, Snabes MC, Surrey E, & Taylor RN. _Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2018 May 5. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.12521. \[Epub ahead of print\] Review._ 2018-05-05 ## Abstract Challenges intrinsic to the accurate diagnosis of endometriosis contribute to an extended delay between the onset of symptoms and clinical confirmation. Intraoperative visualization, preferably with histologic verification, is considered by many professional organizations to be the gold standard by which endometriosis is diagnosed. Clinical diagnosis of symptomatic endometriosis via patient history, physical examination, and noninvasive tests is easy to perform but generally viewed as less accurate than surgical diagnosis. Technological advances and increased understanding of the pathophysiology of endometriosis warrant continuing reevaluation of the standard method for diagnosing symptomatic disease. A review of the published literature was therefore performed with the goal of comparing the accuracy of clinical diagnostic measures with that of surgical diagnosis. The current body of evidence suggests that clinical diagnosis of symptomatic endometriosis is more reliable than previously recognized and that surgical diagnosis has limitations that could be underappreciated. Regardless of the methodology used, women with suspected symptomatic endometriosis would be well served by a diagnostic paradigm that is reliable, conveys minimal risk of under-diagnosis or over-diagnosis, lessens the time from symptom development to diagnosis, and guides the appropriate use of medical and surgical management strategies. [PubMed abstract](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29729099) ## Research topics - [Women's Health](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Women%27s+Health%5C%22%22) - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Obstetrics and Gynecology](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Obstetrics+and+Gynecology%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [An open letter to the Food and Drug Administration regarding the use of morcellation procedures in women having surgery for presumed uterine myomas.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/to-fda-re-morcellation-uterine-myomas-1055312488) Parker W, Berek JS, Pritts E, et al. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. pii: S1553-4650(15)01732-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2015.12.012. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Jan 08 - Publication ### [The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care, 2017.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/internatl-glossary-infertility-fertility-care-1055312335) Zegers-Hochschild F, Adamson GD, Dyer S, Racowsky C, de Mouzon J, Sokol R, Rienzi L, Sunde A, Schmidt L, Cooke ID, Simpson JL, van der Poel S. Fertil Steril. pii: S0015-0282(17)30429-6. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.06.005. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2017 Jul 28 - Publication ### [Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a meta-analysis.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/ssris-for-premenstrual-syndrome-meta-analysis-1055312627) Shah NR, Jones JB, Aperi J, Shemtov R, Karne A, Borenstein J. Obstet Gynecol. 111(5):1175-82. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31816fd73b. 2008 May 01 - Publication ### [World Endometriosis Society consensus on the classification of endometriosis.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/world-endometriosis-society-endometriosis-classif-1055312517) Johnson NP, Hummelshoj L, Adamson GD, Keckstein J, Taylor HS, Abrao MS, Bush D, Kiesel L, Tamimi R, Sharpe-Timms KL, Rombauts L, Giudice LC; for the World Endometriosis Society Sao Paulo Consortium. Hum Reprod. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Dec 05 - Publication ### [World Endometriosis Research Foundation Endometriosis Phenome and Biobanking Harmonisation Project: I. Surgical phenotype data collection in endometriosis research.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/surgical-phenotype-data-endometriosis-research-1055312881) Becker CM, Laufer MR, Stratton P, Hummelshoj L, Missmer SA, Zondervan KT, Adamson GD; WERF EPHect Working Group. Fertil Steril. 102(5):1213-22. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.07.709. Epub 2014 Aug 20. 2014 Nov 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/surgical-vs-clinical-dx-of-endometriosis-1055312364#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Surgical vs clinical dx of endometriosis"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/surgical-vs-clinical-dx-of-endometriosis-1055312364#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"An evidence-based approach to assessing surgical versus clinical diagnosis of symptomatic endometriosis.","headline":"Surgical vs clinical dx of endometriosis","abstract":"Challenges intrinsic to the accurate diagnosis of endometriosis contribute to an extended delay between the onset of symptoms and clinical confirmation. Intraoperative visualization, preferably with histologic verification, is considered by many professional organizations to be the gold standard by which endometriosis is diagnosed. Clinical diagnosis of symptomatic endometriosis via patient history, physical examination, and noninvasive tests is easy to perform but generally viewed as less accurate than surgical diagnosis. Technological advances and increased understanding of the pathophysiology of endometriosis warrant continuing reevaluation of the standard method for diagnosing symptomatic disease. A review of the published literature was therefore performed with the goal of comparing the accuracy of clinical diagnostic measures with that of surgical diagnosis. The current body of evidence suggests that clinical diagnosis of symptomatic endometriosis is more reliable than previously recognized and that surgical diagnosis has limitations that could be underappreciated. Regardless of the methodology used, women with suspected symptomatic endometriosis would be well served by a diagnostic paradigm that is reliable, conveys minimal risk of under-diagnosis or over-diagnosis, lessens the time from symptom development to diagnosis, and guides the appropriate use of medical and surgical management strategies.","description":"Evidence suggests that clinical dx of endometriosis is more reliable than previously recognized Surgical dx has limitations that could be underappreciated.","keywords":["Women's Health","Disease Management","Obstetrics and Gynecology"],"datePublished":"2018-05-05","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/surgical-vs-clinical-dx-of-endometriosis-1055312364","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"29729099"},{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"DOI","value":"10.1002/ijgo.12521"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29729099/","https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12521"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Int J Gynaecol Obstet"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Taylor HS"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Adamson GD"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Diamond MP"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Goldstein SR"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Horne AW"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Missmer SA"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Snabes MC"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Surrey E"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Taylor RN"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Women's Health","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Women%27s+Health%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Disease Management","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Disease+Management%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Obstetrics and Gynecology","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Obstetrics+and+Gynecology%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/surgical-vs-clinical-dx-of-endometriosis-1055312364","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/surgical-vs-clinical-dx-of-endometriosis-1055312364#breadcrumblist"}}} ```