A new study of women with endometriosis is underway exploring the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge medical scanning techniques in diagnosing women earlier without going through invasive surgery.
The study named DEFEND (Developing an US-MRI-biomarker fusion model for Endometriosis) is now recruiting patients. Researchers are aiming to recruit up to 100 patients at King’s Fertility clinic who are experiencing the condition.
Endometriosis is a common condition affecting one in 10 women in the UK of childbearing age.[i] Women living with endometriosis may have to put up with significant pelvic and abdominal pain during menstruation, painful intercourse and spontaneous pain outside menstruation. In some cases, it can lead to infertility issues and 30-50% of women with infertility also being diagnosed with endometriosis.[ii] With March being Endometriosis Action Month, improving diagnosis and care is needed through tangible and collective efforts.[iii]
An All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Report on Endometriosis revealed that women with endometriosis are facing serious delays to diagnosis with nearly two thirds visiting their GP over 10 times, a quarter visiting doctors in hospitals 10 times or more and over half ending up in A&E due to their pain.[iv] According to the report, it takes 8 years on average from onset of symptoms to receiving a diagnosis, the same length of time as it did a decade ago, highlighting an urgent need for investment in research to drive down this time and ensure appropriate access to care when women need it.3
In addition, The Department for Health and Social Care’s