A non-invasive scan for endometriosis has shown promising results in a trial, boosting hopes for far quicker diagnosis. The trial, involving 19 women with the condition, suggests that an experimental radiotracer called maraciclatide can "light up" endometriosis on a scan. Currently, surgical investigation is required for diagnosis, which is a major obstacle to timely detection, with women in England typically waiting nearly a decade.
Study Details and Expert Comments
Prof Krina Zondervan, head of department at the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health (NDWRH) at the University of Oxford and co-lead on the study, stated: "The most prevalent subtype of endometriosis currently evades reliable detection, leaving women no choice for diagnosis other than invasive surgery. If these results are confirmed in larger phase 3 studies, imaging with maraciclatide could transform clinical research and practice and potentially empower the development of treatments for women across the globe."
Understanding Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Symptoms include painful periods, painful bowel movements, pain when urinating, and pain during or after sex. It affects about one in 10 women and can impact fertility. Treatments include hormone medication and surgery, but lengthy delays to diagnosis remain a persistent problem.
Research by the charity Endometriosis UK indicates that women in England currently wait an average of 9 years and 4 months for diagnosis, rising to 11 years for women from ethnic minority communities. Health Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted this issue in the government's renewed Women's Health Strategy earlier this month. Endometriosis can progress, leading to more severe physical symptoms and limiting informed choices about fertility.
The Trial and Its Findings
Peritoneal endometriosis, the earliest and most common form, cannot be reliably detected with existing imaging techniques. Standard MRI scans typically only pick up structural changes that appear with more advanced disease. The latest trial investigated the use of maraciclatide, developed by UK-based company Serac. The tracer binds to tissue in the process of creating new blood vessels, a cardinal feature of endometriosis.
Nineteen patients, all due to undergo laparoscopies for endometriosis, received an infusion of the tracer and then underwent a Spect-CT scan. The scan results aligned with the surgical diagnosis in 16 out of 19 cases, with no false positives. Serac plans to validate the findings in larger phase 3 trials. If confirmed, a minimally invasive scan could facilitate trials for new treatments.
Dr Tatjana Gibbons, lead author and also of the NDWRH, said: "These exciting findings indicate that maraciclatide offers a highly promising diagnostic and monitoring tool, particularly for superficial peritoneal endometriosis, which is the most common and yet the hardest type to identify."
The findings are published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health.
