A presumptive diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is usually made in our gynecologic clinics when obscure, acute lower abdominal pain is accompained by fever and abnormal vaginal discharge, urinary and rectal discomfort, marked tenderness of the pelvic organs to palpation, or pelvic masses. In the present study, during a 2-year period, 223 women underwent laparoscopy to confirm this diagnosis. PID was confirmed in 103 (46.2%) of the cases; other serious conditions were diagnosed in 69 (30.9%) of the cases; and no evidence of disease was found in 51 (22.9%) of the cases. The authors conclude that laparoscopy is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of PID.