Quantitative and visual evaluation of salivary and thyroid glands in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome using salivary gland scintigraphy: relationship with clinicopathological features of salivary, lacrimal and thyroid glands

Abstract

The results indicate that quantitative salivary gland scintigraphy may be a useful method for evaluating salivary gland dysfunction and also for determining disease severity in primary SS. Asymmetric activity pattern in the parotid glands commonly observed during the early stages of the disease may be a predictor of progression. In addition, the histopathological stage is related not only to the scintigraphic findings of the salivary glands but also to lacrimal gland function in primary SS. However, thyroid uptake seemed to be unaffected in patients with both early-stage and advanced-stage disease.