Imaging of Endometriosis With Total-body PET-CT (PET-Endo)

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Endometriosis

In brief

Endometriosis is a disease that affects 1 in 10 women and is associated with debilitating pain and infertility. Endometriosis is where cells similar to those lining the womb (the 'endometrium') grow elsewhere in the body, forming 'lesions'. Most commonly the lesions grow on the lining of the pelvic cavity, called 'peritoneal' endometriosis. Lesions can also grow on the ovary, this is called 'ovarian' endometriosis, or form nodules, called 'deep' endometriosis. At present the only way to confidently identify endometriosis is through surgery, this exposes patient to the risks of surgery and contributes to the diagnostic delay associated with endometriosis. PET/CT is a specialist scan that is commonly used to identify cancers which cannot be seen on other types of scans. PET/CT uses a 'tracer', a substance given into a vein which then temporarily accumulates in areas of disease. This project will determine if a new specialist scan, total body PET/CT, and novel tracers that were developed for other conditions can be used to identify some of the key pathways in endometriosis: bleeding and scarring. Being able to identify these processes in endometriosis lesions and being able to track how they change over time would improve our understanding of endometriosis. The investigators also want to know if these pathways are different between superficial, deep and ovarian endometriosis, and what the impact is of the hormones related to the menstrual cycle. In this study up to 30 people who have suspected endometriosis and are already due to undergo diagnostic surgery will be asked to undergo two total-body PET/CT scans in Edinburgh, one at one visit and one another visit. Participants will also have a PET/MRI scan at visit. Participants will have a different tracer at each visit. The investigators will then compare the scan findings with their subsequent surgical findings.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07523997

Run by

University of Edinburgh

People needed

30

Starts

2026-04-08

Expected to finish

2027-12-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Chronic pelvic pain
• Clinical/radiological diagnosis of likely endometriosis and due to undergo confirmatory laparoscopy in the subsequent four months

You may not qualify if…

• Inability or unwilling to give informed consent
• Actively trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding
• Post menopausal (no periods for >12 months and not taking hormonal treatments to prevent periods or bilateral oophorectomy performed)
• Previous hysterectomy
• Confirmed or suspected pelvic malignancy
• Contraindication to MRI (ferromagnetic material in the body, metallic device implantation or claustrophobia)
• Contraindication to buscopan (e.g. glaucoma, unstable cardiac disease, arrythmias, myasthenia, previous hypersensitivity to buscopan)
• Taking part in a CTIMP or interventional non-CTIMP study
• Previous severe pelvic inflammatory disease
• Previous peritonitis

Where it is running

• Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh — Edinburgh, City Of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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