Immunoscintigraphy of endometriosis

Twenty‐eight women with suspected endometriosis or infertility, or both, received radiolabelled monoclonal antibody OC‐125 F(ab′)2 fragments before surgery in a study to determine whether foci of pelvic endometriosis could be displayed with immunoscintigraphy. Immunoscintigraphy was positive in 22 women (16 with endometriosis, two with pelvic adhesions, one with pelvic inflammatory disease and one with normal pelvic findings) and negative in five women (two with endometriosis and three with normal pelvic findings). One woman developed a hypersensitivity reaction and, therefore, did not receive the radiolabelled fragments. The method had 89% sensitivity and 33% specificity for the diagnosis of endometriosis; it had 91% sensitivity and 60% specificity for the diagnosis of benign pelvic disease.