To evaluate quantitative and visual salivary gland scintigraphy in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and to compare the scintigraphic findings with clinicopathological features of the salivary, lacrimal and thyroid glands.
Twenty-seven patients with primary SS and 10 healthy age-matched and sex-matched individuals as a control group were included in this study. The diagnosis of SS was made on the basis of the classification criteria of the American-European Consensus Group. The patients with primary SS were divided into two groups as early-stage and advanced-stage according the labial biposy scores (16 early-stage and 11 advanced-stage). After the administration of 370 MBq Tc-99m pertechnetate, static images were obtained at 20 min and also after lemon stimulation. Functional parameters for the parotid, submandibular, and thyroid glands were calculated. Schirmer-I, tear film break-up time and Rose Bengal tests were evaluated.
Statistically significant differences existed for the functional parameters of the parotid and submandibular glands between the early-stage and advanced-stage groups. The submandibular glands were more frequently affected than the parotid glands. Asymmetric uptake pattern was more common in the parotid glands during the early-stages of primary SS. When compared with the control group, the thyroid uptake ratio of the early-stage primary SS and advanced-stage group was not significantly different. According to the results of the ophthalmological tests, there was a statistically significant difference between patients with advanced-stage and early-stage disease. There were no significant correlations between functional parameters of salivary gland and any of the ophthalmological tests.
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.