Award-winning digital ‘twinning’ project to tailor treatments for endometriosis patients
A Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) physician is developing a digital tool to improve treatment plans for patients diagnosed with endometriosis by ‘twinning’ them with a model of a current or former patient, or patients, electronically.
McMaster PhD student Shay Freger is working with Dr. Mathew Leonardi to develop the ENDOTwin software.
While often ignored as benign, endometriosis is far from harmless, says Dr. Mathew Leonardi, an internationally recognized gynecologic surgeon and sonologist (ultrasound specialist) who’s developing this ENDOTwin software in partnership with McMaster University PhD student Shay Freger.
Endometriosis affects about 10 per cent of women and people assigned female at birth, or over one million Canadians. It happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside this organ, causing severe pelvic pain and other serious symptoms. Endometriosis can also spread to other parts of the body, wreaking havoc.
“Endometriosis is a terrible and extremely painful disease that has its claws in almost every facet of a person’s life.” — Dr. Mathew Leonardi
This chronic, debilitating disease can cause very painful periods, pain during sex, and trouble getting pregnant. It can also affect the intestines or bladder, leading to stomach pain, constipation or diarrhea, painful urination, or blood in the urine or stool. In rare cases, if it spreads to the lungs, it can cause chest pain or trouble breathing.
“Endometriosis is a terrible and extremely painful disease that has its claws in almost every facet of a person’s life,” says Leonardi, whose specialty involves using advanced ultrasound to diagnose problems with pelvic organs like the uterus and ovaries, bowel and bladder, and performing surgery when needed.
Leonardi joined HHS five years ago, creating the first formal surgeon sonologist role in the gynecology department to more accurately and safely diagnose and treat patients. Since joining HHS, Leonardi has improved how surgeries are planned using advanced imaging and drawing on the expertise of other surgical teams as needed.
‘Twinning’ for better treatments
With ENDOTwin, endometriosis patients would benefit from the experiences of thousands of patients that came before them. For example, a new patient’s doctor could input detailed information about them including their medical history, symptoms, scans and blood test results, and use the ENDOTwin digital software to find a match, or ‘twin’ with a close history and successful treatment plan.
Endometriosis affects over one million Canadians.
“If a previous patient shares many similarities and had a good outcome, they would be considered a ‘twin,’ and their experiences could help guide the new patient’s treatment,” says Leonardi. If a close match can’t be found, the ‘twin’ could be electronically generated by drawing on data from dozens or even hundreds of patients, pulling relevant information from their profiles.
Expanding on the team approach
ENDOTwin would build on the HHS teams-based model of care through the use of software, adds Leonardi.
“Since endometriosis impacts many areas of a person’s life, we follow an interdisciplinary model for treatment that includes medication, surgery, physiotherapy, dietary strategies, psychology and gastrointestinal care,” says Leonardi. “It’s an elaborate and highly individualized approach, and ENDOTwin will take this even further by using technology to help our doctors create a unique treatment plan for everyone who walks through our doors.”
McMaster PhD student Shay Freger (right) accepts a DRIVE Spark Award on behalf of Dr. Mathew Leonardi at the HHS Research and Innovations Awards of Excellence event in October.
Leonardi was one of three HHS physician innovators to receive a 2025 DRIVE Spark grant in October.
The $50,000 DRIVE Spark grant will be used by Leonardi and Freger to build and use the ENDOTwin tool locally.
Other HHS DRIVE Spark winners were Dr. Guillaume Paré and Pareon Biosystems, for a project that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to develop state-of-the-the-art precision blood tests, and Dr. Esther Chin, who developed a simulator that could help prevent women from dying from severe bleeding after childbirth.
DRIVE Spark grants from HHS support original, new projects aimed at improving health-care delivery. DRIVE – which stands for Dare, Research, Innovate, VenturE – cultivates the development of HHS research and innovation into medical technologies and solutions with the goal of transforming new ideas into real commercial solutions aimed at improving patient outcomes and advancing health care.
