Can endometriosis show up on a CT scan?

[Afternooninthepark]

I’m 47 and for about 20 years I have had ongoing problems with my periods and digestive issues.
My periods are very heavy with clots and flooding (no pain though) and I have discomfort and sometimes light bleeding during ovulation (although I obviously ovulate less now at 47). About 6 years ago a scan and hysteroscopy showed that I had uterine polyps, I have had these removed twice but they’ve grown back (had a US scan last week which showed they had grown back). I have also had chocolate cysts on previous scans.
I have ongoing, almost daily digestive issues (bloating, gas, gurgling, bad indigestion, upset tum etc). Last summer I pushed for a colonoscopy and gastroscope which came back clear and was told by gastroenterologist that it was ‘just’ IBS (a diagnosis I’ve had for the last 22 years).
I also had a CT scan which confirmed the uterine polyps, nothing in the digestive system or pelvic area though.
Two years ago my sister had an emergency operation for suspected ovarian cancer which actually turned out to be endometriosis (she too has IBS type symptoms but also a lot of pelvic pain), Does endo run in families?
I’m under a gynaecologist and he wants to do another hysteroscopy and also a laparoscopy after the results from last weeks scan but I’m scared to have the laparoscopy as I don’t like going under a general anaesthetic (usually have the hysteroscopies under a local)
Does anyone know if endometriosis can be detected via a CT scan? Can I avoid the laparoscopy?

I've never heard of a CT scan for endometriosis, and given the nature of the tissues involved I wouldn't expect it to show up well. I think laparoscopy is the only definite way of diagnosing/ruling it out?

I did wonder, thanks.

Chocolate cysts are endometriomas and are linked with endometriosis. Endometriosis can also cause heavy bleeding to arise.

Although the causes of endometriosis are not fully understood it can sometimes go down the female line in families though not always.

I would go ahead with the lap op if you can as a laparoscopy is the usual tool to diagnose endometriosis. I understand your concerns re the anaesthetic but I would urge you to consider this surgery all the same. The CT scan may not be that useful a tool here.

Endometriosis can also involve the bowel so it can and does get missed in other tests. It’s also commonly misdiagnosed as IBS and sadly I was not altogether surprised with your sister finally being diagnosed with endometriosis after many missteps

I almost fell off my chair when I was told that I needed lap type surgery. However I am most glad that I did because it gave me definitive answers as to why my periods were so heavy and painful, yep endometriosis was the cause.

Mine is stage 3 and I have an endometrioma that did show up on all scans trans vag/mri/ct all showed it. It's quite big though (10cm x 4cm x 5cm) so I think that's why.

@AttilaTheMeerkat

Endometriosis can also involve the bowel so it can and does get missed in other tests. It’s also commonly misdiagnosed as IBS and sadly I was not altogether surprised with your sister finally being diagnosed with endometriosis after many missteps

Yes I had awful nausea, vomiting and IBS-type symptoms for nearly five years prior to my full hysterectomy for (for fibroids and ovarian cyst) and it was diagnosed as IBS. It really affected my life. I asked the consultant/surgeon if there was any connection between the bowel and uterus that would cause my symptoms and the answer was a resounding "no" despite the fact that post-op, they all completely and immediately disappeared . Tbh I think the medical profession are not good when it comes to crossover systems in the body ie gynae/gastro and gynae/urinary as they are all focused on their narrow specialties.

Sorry that wasn't particularly endometriosis related but my dd is having terrible issues with dreadful period pain, vomiting, fainting and related bowel symptoms and I'm determined that she doesn't have to go through the same thing as me.

I would urge her to keep a daily pain and symptom diary if she does not already do this and to request her GP to refer her to a gynae.

I would also look at Endometriosis UKs website as this is a useful resource:-

www.endometriosis-uk.org/

CT scan is not a useful tool to diagnose or detect endometriosis.