Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Salivary Glands With Magnetic Resonance Sialography in Sjögren's Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To compare the results of magnetic resonance imaging with magnetic resonance sialography (MRSIAL) and the clinical and laboratory characteristics in a well-characterized cohort of patients with primary or secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) meeting the American-European Consensus Group criteria.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective, observational, monocentric study.

METHODS

Thirty-six patients (81% female, mean age = 48 ± 35 years) with primary or secondary SS who underwent MRSIAL were included in the study.

RESULTS

MRSIAL revealed characteristic radiological signs in the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular salivary glands in 35/36 patients (97%). Patients presenting with anti-Sjögren's syndrome-related antigen A (SSA) autoantibodies showed more often fatty infiltration, a "pepper-and-salt" appearance, ductal stenosis, and/or ductal dilation of the parotid gland (88%, 88%, and 72% respectively) than patients negative for anti-SSA (12%, 4%, and 28% respectively). MRSIAL demonstrated signs characteristic of SS in all 11 patients with negative minor salivary gland biopsy. For 15 patients undergoing ultrasound examination only, 11 (73%) had SS findings, but all 15 had SS findings on MRSIAL. Two cases of parotid lymphoma were detected by MRSIAL (6%).

CONCLUSIONS

MRSIAL is a reliable technique to detect glandular anomalies in patients with SS, and seems to provide a valuable aid in the diagnosis of SS.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E83-E89, 2021.