We held a dedicated afternoon of operations at Queen’s Hospital to support national research into improving endometriosis diagnosis and treatment.

We're one of just a handful of NHS trusts in the UK offering advanced ultrasound technology to detect the condition.

Endometriosis is a common disease affecting one in ten women. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside of the uterus.

In some women, it can cause debilitating pain symptoms, bladder problems; bowel issues and sexual and fertility problems. This can have a huge impact on their quality of life.

Despite affecting so many women, the average time it takes to receive a diagnosis is nine years. This delay can cause unnecessary suffering, with many women facing misdiagnosis or dismissal of their symptoms.

There are several types of the condition depending on where the tissue grows. Peritoneal endometriosis, which affects the thin lining of the abdomen called the peritoneum, is the most common but it’s also the hardest to spot on standard scans. But there is now hope for faster diagnosis without the need for invasive surgery.

Earlier this month three women with suspected endometriosis came to Queen’s Hospital for keyhole surgery, known as a diagnostic laparoscopy.

This was part of a national research study led by the University of Edinburgh called Espirit2+, looking at whether advanced ultrasound scans and blood tests can spot signs of endometriosis earlier and more accurately.

These blood tests looked for special markers, called biomarkers, that could show if endometriosis is present. During surgery, if endometriosis was found, it was treated straight away by our specialist team.

Lizzie Bean, a Consultant Gynaecologist, said:

A lot of women have been suffering for a long time. If the study shows that specialist ultrasound scans can accurately detect peritoneal endometriosis, we could help women get diagnosed earlier without surgery.

This would benefit women in our local community and could improve care for women around the world.

We now run two one-stop clinics at King George's Hospital. The first one is for women with a confirmed endometriosis diagnosis, where they can discuss symptoms, have an advanced pelvic ultrasound, and review treatment options with their doctor.

The second clinic is for women with suspected pelvic endometriosis or other gynaecological conditions and is a 30-minute appointment with an ultrasound and treatment discussion. These help women get quicker answers and avoids long waits and multiple appointments.

Through our Women's Health Hub at the Ilford Exchange, GPs with a special focus on women’s health can refer patients directly to the latter clinic.