Endometriosis: genetics, imaging, quality of life

Endometriosis is a common and benign gynaecological disease. Common symptoms include menstrual pain, pain during intercourse, chronic pain and impaired fertility. This dissertation presents and describes three aspects of endometriosis: genetic and molecular aspects, imaging and quality of life. The B lymphocyte stimulator and the paired-box 2 gene were studied and both appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. This study also investigated the extent to which certain MRI characteristics are associated with the histological infiltration depth in the intestinal wall of patients with colorectal endometriosis. The last chapter of this dissertation explains that symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain and dyspareunia tend to persist in women with endometriosis, despite the patients having been treated in a tertiary hospital. This has a significant impact on their quality of life.