Aim: To assess and compare the uterine volume and endometrium length between women with and without endometriosis, using pelvic magnetic resonance imaging scans.
Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 75 nulligravid women (aged 20-45 years) with regular menstrual cycles whose uterus were free of any surgically confirmed lesions were enrolled. The endometriosis group underwent surgery for endometrioma (n = 39), and the control group underwent surgery for non-endometrioma ovarian cysts (n = 36). The primary outcome was uterine corpus volume, which was assessed using three-dimensional reconstructions of preoperative pelvic magnetic resonance imaging scans.
Results: The mean uterine volume was significantly larger in the endometriosis group than in the control group (mean ± standard deviation, 50.9 ± 14.4 cm3 vs 41.7 ± 14.3 cm3 ; P < 0.01). The longitudinal length and transverse diameter of the corpus and the longitudinal length of the endometrium were also significantly greater in the endometriosis group (all, P < 0.01).
Conclusions: An increase in uterine volume and endometrium length was observed in women with endometriosis.
Keywords: MRI; Osirix; endometriosis; three-dimensional reconstruction; uterine volume.
© 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.