Diagnosing endometriosis can be a complex process due to the varying symptoms that can mimic other conditions. After initial exams and blood tests, imaging studies such as ultrasound and MRI are critical for diagnosing endometriosis. Imaging tests such as an ultrasound or MRI scan may be ordered to get a better look at your reproductive organs and rule out other possible causes of your symptoms. Ultrasounds use sound waves to create images of internal organs, while MRIs use magnetic fields to produce detailed images of soft tissue structures like the uterus and ovaries. However, the protocols for doing an Ultrasound and MRI and then the expert radiologist who reads the images are the most essential factors in the accuracy of the imaging in detecting endometriosis lesions. In the absence of an exemplary imaging set-up, the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis is laparoscopy. Laparoscopy allows for direct visualization and taking samples for histology.