Ultrasound-based decision-making for minimally invasive sclerotherapy of ovarian endometrioma

Abstract

Ovarian endometrioma (OEM) remains a challenging manifestation of endometriosis, particularly in women with infertility, recurrent disease, or concern about ovarian reserve. Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy has emerged as a minimally invasive treatment option in selected patients, but its appropriate use depends heavily on imaging-based decision-making. This review examines the role of ultrasound across the care pathway of sclerotherapy for OEM, with emphasis on diagnosis, risk stratification, patient selection, procedural planning, treatment guidance, and post-treatment surveillance. English-language literature up to May 2026 was searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus using terms related to OEM, endometriosis, transvaginal ultrasound, ultrasound-guided aspiration, sclerotherapy, ethanol sclerotherapy, recurrence, ovarian reserve, infertility, and assisted reproduction. Current evidence indicates that transvaginal ultrasound is central not only to confirming the diagnosis of OEM, but also to excluding mimickers and malignant red flags before intervention. In women considered for sclerotherapy, ultrasound provides key information on lesion morphology, disease extent, ovarian mobility, pelvic adhesions, accessibility, and puncture safety. Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy appears to be a feasible minimally invasive option in selected women, particularly when preservation of ovarian reserve is prioritized. However, the available literature remains heterogeneous with regard to patient selection, procedural protocols, sclerosant exposure, definitions of response and recurrence, and follow-up intervals. Ultrasound may therefore play an important role not only in procedural guidance, but also in decision-making throughout the care pathway of OEM sclerotherapy. A standardized ultrasound-based framework may improve candidate selection, procedural consistency, and post-treatment surveillance, and may help better define the role of sclerotherapy in clinical practice.