Scientists have developed a quick and simple way to diagnose endometriosis, without requiring surgery.

科学家已经发明了一种诊断子宫内膜异位的、不需要请教外科医生的简单快捷的方法。

Endometriosis is a painful condition

All that is needed is a small sample of womb（子宫） lining¹（衬里，内层）, taken in a similar way to a smear² test（子宫颈涂片检查）, that can be checked for the presence of nerve fibres.

According to the Human Reproduction journal, this can predict with nearly 100% accuracy the condition's presence.

Endometriosis is a common problem where cells that usually line the womb are found elsewhere in the body.

It affects about two million women in the UK, most of whom are diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 40.

As well as causing pain and discomfort³, it can also lead to infertility（不肥沃，不毛）.

Conventionally, doctors use laparoscopy（盆腔镜） to diagnose endometriosis.

This involves the woman being booked into hospital for the invasive（侵略性的，攻击性的） "keyhole" surgical⁴ procedure carried out under general anaesthetic（全身麻醉）.

Laparoscopy itself can be associated with complications and can harm a woman's fertility.

In contrast, an endometrial biopsy requires no surgery and is relatively⁵ quick and easy to perform in a clinic setting with the woman fully⁶ conscious.

Non-invasive test

In a trial involving 99 women with pelvic pain（骨盆病）, the test accurately⁷ spotted⁸ 63 out of 64 cases of endometriosis.

It correctly identified 29 out of the 34 women with no signs of endometriosis upon laparoscopy.

In the remaining six women found to have nerves in their biopsy（活组织检查） samples, one had a previous history of endometriosis and another had physical signs that were considered too slight to be endometriosis.

Lead researcher Dr Moamar Al-Jefout of Mu'tah University in Jordan said: "This test is probably as accurate as assessment⁹ via laparoscopy, the current gold standard, especially as it is unclear how often endometriosis is overlooked, even by experienced gynaecologists（妇科学家）.

"Endometrial biopsy is clearly less invasive than laparoscopy, and this test could help to reduce the current lengthy¹⁰ delay in diagnosis¹¹ of the condition, as well as allowing more effective planning for formal surgical or long-term medical management."

Professor David Healy, president-elect of the International Federation¹² of Fertility Societies, said the new simple test to diagnose endometriosis was very exciting.

"If other doctors can confirm this test, this might become the standard way of diagnosing endometriosis. This would mean that the condition could be identified earlier, which could give real benefits for infertile¹³ women," he said.

Nemone Warner, head of external relations at Endometriosis UK, said women would benefit from earlier diagnosis without the risk of surgical complications.

Mr Chris Mann, gynaecology expert and spokesman for the Endometriosis SHE Trust, said the findings were promising¹⁴ but larger trials were needed to prove the test's worth.

He said it would not replace the role of laparoscopy, which is useful for determining disease severity（病重）, but could be a useful addition.