Grant: Op. Grant: NWHRI: Innovation Fund - Translational Research

Endometriosis is a very common disease that causes chronic pain, inflammation, and infertility (inability to get pregnant) affecting specifically those who were born with a uterus (identified female at birth). Endometriosis is difficult to diagnose as only specific types of endometriosis are consistently seen on ultrasound. There are no blood tests for endometriosis. Currently, the most accurate test includes surgery to look for endometriosis, removing some or all of the diseased tissues, and then confirming the tissue type under a microscope. This surgery is expensive and comes with the many risks of surgery. All of these factors coupled with the lack of knowledge lead to increased delays in diagnosis, and decreased outcomes for patients. Our study involves the development and validation of a diagnostic test. We will be adapting an existing ultrasound procedure by adding fluid to the pelvis. This will allow for increased visualization of the pelvis as well as introduce fluid to the molecules within the pelvic cavity. This fluid is then collected from the pelvis using a needle, similar to in fertility egg retrieval. We will analyze this fluid to detect what molecules were retrieved. We will try to find the molecules or molecule patterns in the fluid which are only in people with endometriosis. We hope to identify these molecules or signatures in the hopes of decreasing the delay in diagnosis and provide a less invasive diagnostic method for those living with endometriosis.