Standardized Ultrasonographic Diagnostic Protocol to Diagnose Endometriosis Based on the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) Consensus Statement

In April of 1978, Sandler et al. published a series of ten cases entitled “The Spectrum of Ultrasonic Findings in Endometriosis” [1]. The authors made the recommendation that sonographers should consider endometriosis in the differential diagnosis when a pelvic mass was visualized on ultrasound. In the almost 40 years since this publication, the international scientific community has contributed to the literature on the utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of endometriosis. The recent consensus statement on the systematic approach to sonographic evaluation of the pelvis in women with suspected endometriosis demonstrates broad international collaboration [2]. This landmark paper was published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2016 by the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) group, which was comprised of clinicians, gynecological sonologists, advanced laparoscopic surgeons, and radiologists. The 29 members of 15 different countries were invited to participate based on their expertise in the diagnosis and management of endometriosis. The primary goal of this consensus is to standardize terminology, including definitions of anatomy, measurements of sonographic findings, and nomenclature of endometriosis lesions, for uniform use on the international scientific stage. The downstream objective is to encourage homogeneity in terminology to enhance comparison between future studies, promote multicenter studies, and improve patient outcomes.