Preoperative application of the Enzian classification for endometriosis (The cEnzian Study): a prospective international multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the diagnostic performance of preoperative application of the Enzian classification (cEnzian) using surgical findings as reference standard DESIGN: A prospective international non-interventional study SETTING: 12 endometriosis centers in four European countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Czech Republic) POPULATION: 1062 women with endometriosis surgery METHODS: Extent of endometriosis was preoperatively classified using the cEnzian classification based on gynecological examination and/or transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After subsequent surgery, the surgeon classified the intraoperative findings using the Enzian classification.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, LR+, LR- and accuracy were calculated. Conditional frequencies of intraoperative Enzian codings and the corresponding 95 % confidence intervals were computed for each preoperative coding and visualised in plots.

RESULTS

Although overall consistency of cEnzian and Enzian was poor (35.14 %, 95%-CI 32.26-38.03), high specificities and negative predictive values (NPVs) of the cEnzian compartments could be demonstrated. Looking at the individual parts of the Enzian classification, the poorest diagnostic performance was detected for compartment B and the highest PPVs were found for category 3-lesions (> 3 cm), independently of the compartment.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the Enzian classification in a non-invasive setting is a useful tool providing us with a 'at a glance' summary of the diagnostic workup regarding deep endometriosis with high specificities and NPVs. An attempt to merge the two new endometriosis classification systems (#Enzian and AAGL 2021) seems reasonable - with consideration of the respective advantages of each other.