Diagnostic Accuracy of MRI Using the #Enzian Classification in Endometriosis: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpreted using the #Enzian classification system by comparing MRI findings with laparoscopic outcomes in women suspected of having endometriosis.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Participants and setting: Twenty-four women aged 19 to 49 who underwent laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis at Galilee Medical Center from 2016 to 2023 had preoperative pelvic MRI available.

Methods: MRI and laparoscopic findings were classified using the #Enzian classification across 64 anatomical compartments. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated for lesion location and size. Associations between MRI accuracy and patient characteristics were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests.

Results: MRI accurately identified the lesion location in 31.3% of compartments and lesion size in 20.3%. The highest accuracy was found in the tubo-ovarian region (60%), rectovaginal septum (42.9%), and ovaries (41.7%), while the lowest accuracy was observed in the parametrium (7.1%) and compartments C, F, FA, and FB (0%). Higher age, parity, and gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly associated with improved MRI accuracy (p < 0.05).

Limitations: The small sample size, retrospective design, and MRI scans from various centers with differing imaging quality and radiologist expertise may restrict generalizability.

Conclusions: MRI utilizing the #Enzian classification offers a structured method for evaluating deep infiltrating endometriosis, but it demonstrates limited accuracy for superficial or parametrial disease. While it is useful for surgical planning, MRI cannot substitute for laparoscopy, which remains crucial for a thorough evaluation and treatment of endometriosis.