No abstract

real-time laparoscopic assessment by the original surgeons and subsequent review of digital images by expert surgeons. The experts were directors of laparoscopic gynecologic training programs in North America with extensive experience in endometriosis diagnosis and management. Other data sources were added sequentially (operative reports, MRI results, and histopathology) to assess their value in obtaining higher interrater agreement. Mean agreement based on digital images alone was acceptable (0.67), increased substantially with the addition of the operative report (0.80), and was highest for cases where histopathology was also available (0.93). Review of MRI results was not useful (BJOG 2017;124:220-229).The abstracted study relied on operative reports and available pathology reports to confirm the presence of endometriosis. With biopsies occurring rarely for confirmation, expert review of digital images from laparoscopy would have added an extra measure of confidence to the paper's conclusion that self-reported endometriosis is a "reasonably accurate" substitute for medical record confirmation.-LAL)