Oxford researchers unveil scan to cut nine-year wait for endometriosis
Oxford researchers unveil scan to cut nine-year wait for endometriosis
A new imaging tool using maraciclatide could dramatically shorten the years-long journey to diagnose endometriosis and spare patients invasive procedures.
A groundbreaking imaging tool could dramatically cut the long wait for endometriosis diagnosis and spare invasive procedures for patients. Scientists have developed a method allowing medics to visualise new blood vessel growth and inflammation within the body. The new imaging approach uses maraciclatide, a molecular tracer injected into the patient, which binds to a specific protein. A SPECT-CT scan then shows where the agent accumulates, providing images of inflamed areas or lesions. The Detect trial, led by maraciclatide developer Serac Healthcare and the Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health at the University of Oxford, recruited 20 women, 17 of whom had a laparoscopy after a SPECT-CT scan. Some 19 patients completed the study, which found that the new imaging technique was able to detect the presence or absence of endometriosis in 16 women (84 per cent). It was also able to provide images of the condition in 14 of the 17 patients who had the condition confirmed through surgery. This included two cases of thoracic endometriosis, a rare form where tissue grows in the chest cavity.
