A hopeful new chapter is opening for people living with endometriosis, thanks to two rapid, non-invasive tests that could shorten the path to diagnosis from an average of more than nine years to just days.
The tests, called EndoSure and Endotest, have been approved for use through the UK’s National Health Service, where they will be funded while researchers continue gathering data on their effectiveness. Experts say the development could bring long-awaited clarity and care to thousands of patients.
Endometriosis affects about one in ten women of reproductive age in the UK. The condition can cause severe pain when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body. For many, the hardest part has been the long and frustrating journey to a confirmed diagnosis.
Until now, diagnosis has typically required a laparoscopy, a surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia. Doctors insert a small camera through a tiny incision in the abdomen to look for signs of the condition inside the pelvis.
The new tests offer a much gentler route. Endotest uses a saliva sample to look for microRNAs, tiny biological markers that may suggest endometriosis is present. EndoSure takes 45 minutes and uses sensor pads placed on the abdomen to measure electrical signals in the gut after the patient has fasted.
Dr. Anastasia Chalkidou said faster answers could make an enormous difference for patients who have spent years waiting.
“That delay means living with chronic pelvic pain… These technologies have the potential to change that by allowing earlier and better treatment quickly.”
For 23-year-old Pilates instructor Ami Robertson, from Glasgow, Scotland, the test brought validation after years of uncertainty. She first began experiencing symptoms at 16, but was repeatedly told she had irritable bowel syndrome.
“I spent years being told my pain was something else entirely. I started to doubt myself, wondering if it was all in my head,” she said.
“When I finally had the test, it took less than an hour and gave me something I’d never had before: concrete evidence I could take to my doctor.
“For the first time, I was believed, and I could finally get the help I needed. Today my quality of life is night and day compared to before.”
Another young patient, 15-year-old Simran Chavda, began suffering severe pelvic pain at 13. After repeated doctor visits failed to uncover the cause, the non-invasive test helped provide the evidence needed for a referral. Her mother, GP Dr. Sharan Uppal, said it ultimately led to a diagnosis of widespread endometriosis.
“Getting my diagnosis honestly felt like the best thing in the world.”
“The test itself was easy, it wasn’t painful at all—just drinking water and being monitored. Really simple. And I’m already starting to feel better after my surgery. I know I’m not going to be in pain all the time, and that means everything.”
Common symptoms of endometriosis can include heavy menstrual bleeding, fatigue, pelvic pain, pain when urinating, painful bowel movements, and difficulty getting pregnant.
For 20-year-old Ebony Dowdell, from Southampton, the journey to answers took eight years. Her periods could last as long as four months, and although she underwent a laparoscopy in July 2024, she was not officially diagnosed until later consultations with specialists. In April 2025, she had robotic-assisted endometriosis excision laparoscopy surgery to remove the disease.
She believes earlier testing could have changed the course of her care.
“Having a diagnosis makes you feel human, you know it is not in my head and you are not crazy. A quicker diagnosis system would make a huge difference to people, and younger people would be getting diagnosed earlier too.”
The Endotest saliva sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis, while EndoSure provides results as soon as the 45-minute assessment is finished.
Dr. Gail Busby, a gynecologist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, described the new tests as “a game-changer”.
“They give us answers much earlier, without the need for invasive surgery, and that means we can start the right treatment sooner. An earlier diagnosis doesn’t just change one person’s life, it frees up appointments and surgical slots for everyone waiting for care.”
With quicker answers, less invasive testing, and a clearer route to treatment, these advances offer bright and welcome news for people who have waited far too long to be heard.
