Trial of non-invasive endometriosis scan boosts hopes for quicker diagnosis

A non-invasive scan for endometriosis has shown promising results in a trial, boosting hopes for far quicker diagnosis.

The trial, which included 19 women with the condition, suggests that an experimental radiotracer, called maraciclatide, can “light up” endometriosis on a scan. The current need for a surgical investigation is seen as a major obstacle to timely diagnosis, with women in England typically waiting nearly a decade.

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, said: “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.”

Research by the charity Endometriosis UK suggests women in England currently wait an average of 9 years 4 months – rising to 11 years for women from ethnic minority communities. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, highlighted the problem in the government’s renewed Women’s Health Strategy, earlier this month. Endometriosis can progress, leading to more severe physical symptoms and restricting the ability to make informed choices around fertility.

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Source: The Guardian, 29 April 2026