Abstract:
Endometriosis, a chronic gynaecological disorder affecting millions of women worldwide, presents diagnostic challenges due to its varied clinical manifestations and the limitations of current diagnostic techniques. This presentation explores the evolution of non-invasive diagnostic approaches for endometriosis over the last decade with a specific focus on the journey from foundational scientific research to the translation into clinical practice. Beginning with an overview of the current clinical diagnostic work-up in the era of improved imaging for endometriosis, the presentation then delves into the recent studies on miRNAs as biomarkers for endometriosis. The presentation evaluates the clinical utility, reliability, and accessibility of emerging non-invasive diagnostic tools, scrutinizing the current scientific evidence.

Bio:
Prof. Dr. Arne Vanhie is a gynecologist at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium, with a special interest in endometriosis and infertility. He obtained his medical degree at Leuven University, Belgium. During his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology he worked at the University Hospital Leuven and University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a thesis on microRNA as biomarkers for endometriosis. As part of his PhD he worked on a two year project in the baboon model for endometriosis at the Institute of Primate Research in Nairobi, Kenya. After a research fellowship at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University, USA he started working in the Leuven University Fertility Center. The greater part of his clinical practice are couples who need pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT-M) and women with endometriosis-related pain or infertility. Along with his clinical work Prof. Dr. Arne Vanhie is researcher at Leuven University in the Laboratory of Endometrium, Endometriosis and Reproductive Medicine (LEERM). His research is focused on reproductive genetics and non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis.