Evaluation of an e-learning program for the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis with rectal water contrast transvaginal ultrasonography (rectosonography).

This study aimed to evaluate the value of an e-learning program for the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis lesions using rectal water contrast transvaginal ultrasonography (rectosonography/RSG). Theoretical RSG training using videos with a commentary was offered online to healthcare professionals involved in ultrasound screening for endometriosis. A test (without correction) with 24 RSG video loops was used to assess the participants' baseline level before the training and their improvement afterwards. If the success rate post-training was below 80 %, the participant could start over with another series of 24 videos. Between February and June 2020, thirty participants took the training course (of which 80 % were obstetrics-gynaecology residents). The e-learning program resulted in a significant performance increase in the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis lesions, with a higher test success rate after the training compared to before (74.4 % and 63.6 % respectively; +10.8 %; 95 % CI [6,6; 15]; p < 0.001). Significant improvement was also observed regarding the overall skills involved in the ultrasound diagnosis of deep infiltrating endometriosis (+9.2 %; p < 0.001), the accurate diagnosis of the height of bowel lesions (+14.7 %; p < 0.001) and uterosacral ligament lesions (+8%; p < 0.005). In conclusion, our e-learning program led to a significant improvement of the diagnostic performance of digestive endometriosis using transvaginal ultrasound with intrarectal water contrast (rectosonography). Adding feedback to the post-test video loops could further increase the efficacy of the e-learning training.

Learning Curve for the Detection of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis and Adenomyosis with 3-D Transvaginal Water Contrast Sonography.

Three-dimensional rectosonography (RSG) is a transvaginal sonography technique using rectal water contrast and 3-D acquisitions. The main points of interest of 3-D RSG could be its easy accessibility and its quick learning curve, especially with respect to rectosigmoid lesions. The objective of this prospective observational study was to assess the learning curve of 3-D RSG for the diagnosis of rectosigmoid lesions and for various other locations of deep endometriosis (DE), endometriomas and adenomyosis. From April 2017 to November 2017, 116 patients with suspected pelvic endometriosis were referred to the Croix-Rousse University Hospital, and those who underwent 3-D RSG were included in our study. After a short training period, four residents were asked to perform 3-D RSG by themselves. Each procedure was systematically controlled immediately afterward by a single expert sonographer. The success of the procedure involved the correct identification of various locations of endometriosis (rectosigmoid, uterosacral ligament, retrocervical space, vagina, bladder and ovaries) and adenomyosis, using the expert sonographer's examination as the reference technique. The learning curve was generated using these data and assessed using the Learning Curve Cumulative Summation Test (LC-CUSUM) method. The pooled LC-CUSUM revealed that the required level of achievement was reached after 24 3-D RSGs were performed for the diagnosis of rectosigmoid lesions. All four residents were significantly competent in diagnosing rectosigmoid lesions at the end of their training period, with an α risk <0.05 (T1, p = 0.03; T2, p = 0.0002; T3, p = 0.05; T4, p = 0.02). The LC-CUSUM analysis confirmed that competency was achieved for vaginal DE, torus uterinum DE, US DE, bladder DE, endometriomas and adenomyosis within 17, 27, 38, 19, 17 and 33 scans, respectively. This study provides evidence that the skills required to diagnose endometriosis lesions and adenomyosis with 3-D RSG can be acquired after a brief learning period in an expert center.

Comparison of three-dimensional rectosonography, rectal endoscopic sonography and magnetic resonance imaging performances in the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Comparison of 3D-rectosonography (3D-RSG), rectal endoscopic sonography (RES), and MRI performances in the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis using surgery as the Gold Standard. DESIGN: Monocentric retrospective longitudinal study on diagnostic procedures. DESIGN CLASIFICATION: Canadian Task Force II-2. SETTING: University Hospital of Lyon Croix-Rousse. PATIENTS: A total of 37 patients treated surgically for pelvic endometriosis. INTERVENTIONS: Expert 3D-RSG (3D Transvaginal sonography with water contrast in the rectum), MRI and RES performed by expert examiners. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive value, positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated. Depth, size, and volume of intestinal lesions were also compared to the type of surgery performed (shaving versus segmental resection). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Rectosigmoid endometriosis lesion was confirmed by surgery in 31 patients on 37 (84%). Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive value, positive and negative likelihood ratios for 3D-RSG were 94%, 100%, 95%, 100%, 75%, +∞ and 0.06 respectively; for RES 81%, 100%, 84%, 100%, 50%, +∞ and 0.19 respectively; while for MRI 90%, 100%, 92%, 100%, 67%, +∞ and 010 respectively. There was no significant difference between the 3 procedures (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: 3D-RSG, RES and MRI seem to be 3 effective procedures in the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis. Their performances seem equivalent.

Correlation between three-dimensional rectosonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis: a preliminary study on the first fifty cases.

OBJECTIVES: Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) raises a number of diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the reference technique in endometriosis, is questioned for posterior pelvic lesions, especially in rectosigmoid locations. In this study, we describe a new technique called three-dimensional rectosonography (3D-RSG), which combines standard transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS), 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography and the use of water for rectal contrast. We also assess the correlation between 3D-RSG and MRI in the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN: This study included 50 consecutive women with symptoms suggestive of DIE. After colorectal enema, they underwent a gynecological examination and a 3D TVUS during which 120ml of water was injected in the rectosigmoid to improve the performance of the examination. All patients also underwent an MRI and surgery was offered to the patient if there was discordance between the two procedures. RESULTS: Fifty women underwent 3D-RSG between May and November 2012. All procedures were well tolerated by patients. Two examinations (4%) were stopped for technical reasons. Nineteen rectosigmoid nodules were diagnosed in 18 women (36%). Eighteen of these nodules were also identified on MRI, and one (2%) nodule seen on MRI was not diagnosed by 3D-RSG. In 31 examinations (62%), neither technique identified an intestinal lesion. There was a concordance rate of 96% between the two techniques. Using MRI as the reference technique, 3D-RSG had a sensitivity of 0.95, a specificity of 0.97, a positive predictive values of 0.95, and a negative predictive value of 0.97. There was a 30.3 positive likelihood ratio and a 0.05 negative likelihood ratio. CONCLUSIONS: 3D-RSG seems an interesting new method for diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis and is both feasible and well tolerated. 3D-RSG is highly concordant with MRI in this indication, although further studies are needed to confirm these primary results.