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Insights into Imaging
Published in: Insights into Imaging 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Endometriosis | Educational Review

Acute abdominal pain in women of reproductive age: keys to suggest a complication of endometriosis

Authors: Juliette Coutureau, Caroline Mandoul, Cecile Verheyden, Ingrid Millet, Patrice Taourel

Published in: Insights into Imaging | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Although endometriosis is a common gynecological condition in women of reproductive age, a complication of endometriosis is rarely considered as the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in that context. However, acute events in women with endometriosis can represent life-threatening conditions, which require emergent treatment and often surgical management. Mass effect of endometriotic implants can give rise to obstructive complications, specifically occurring in the bowel or in the urinary tract, while inflammatory mediators released by ectopic endometrial tissue can lead to inflammation of the surrounding tissues or to superinfection of the endometriotic implants. Magnetic resonance imaging is the best imaging modality to reach the diagnosis of endometriosis, but an accurate diagnosis is possible on computed tomography, especially in the presence of stellar, mildly enhanced, infiltrative lesions in suggestive areas. The aim of this pictorial review is to provide an image-based overview of key findings for the diagnosis of acute abdominal complications of endometriosis.

Graphical Abstract

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Metadata
Title
Acute abdominal pain in women of reproductive age: keys to suggest a complication of endometriosis
Authors
Juliette Coutureau
Caroline Mandoul
Cecile Verheyden
Ingrid Millet
Patrice Taourel
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
Springer Vienna
Published in
Insights into Imaging / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1869-4101
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-023-01433-6

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