唾液腺核素显像在诊断干燥综合症中的临床意义

目的探讨唾液腺核素^99mTcO4-显像的形态、功能等影像学特点，评判唾液腺显像对干燥综合症的诊断价值。方法对33例自身免疫普阳性的患者及10例健康体检者，行唾液腺核素^99mTcO4-显像，利用计算机感兴趣区（ROI）技术和自编软件获得腮腺时间-放射性曲线并分析计算摄取指数、相对摄取率、排泄率（MSR）及酸刺激后唾液腺放射性计数由高峰降至最低的时间，比较两组各功能指标所得数据行统计学处理。结果43例受检者顺利完成检查，一次显像可同时获得双侧唾液腺动态影像过程、时间一放射性曲线以及各功能参数半定量指标，正常组唾液腺各项功能指标明显高于干燥综合征组（P值〈0．01）。结论核素特征性显像是诊断干燥综合征的灵敏指标，动态显像定量分析省时、可行，该方法值得进一步推广。     

干燥综合征腮腺~(99)Tc~mO_4-核素动态显像与唇腺活检的对比研究

目的:与唇腺活检相对比,评价核素动态显像在诊断干燥综合征(SS)中的作用和价值。方法:对143例干燥综合征患者和22例正常人分别进行核素动态显像,所有病例均经唇腺活检病理证实。结果:正常对照组99TcmO4-摄取率为5.12±3.17,最大浓聚时间为(22.5±3.01)min,排泄率为(52.4±5.62)%;SS组患者99TcmO4-摄取率为2.02±1.02,最大浓聚时间(17.8±4.53)min,排泄率为(10.6±6.04)%,两组差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。与唇腺活检结果对比,核素动态显像的灵敏度为94.4%,特异性为95.5%。结论:对于临床怀疑为SS的患者,99TcmO4-唾液腺显像是一种值得推广应用的首选筛查方法。     

放射性核素心脏显像对SLE患者的临床应用

目的评价系统性红斑狼疮（ＳＬＥ）患者左心室功能。方法用平衡法门电路心室显像及心肌显像测定２０例正常人和３０例ＳＬＥ患者左室收缩和舒张功能。结果ＳＬＥ患者左室射血分数、相角程、高峰射血率、高峰充盈率分别为０５２±０１１、６０８９±１２１２°、３０８±０４８ＥＤＶ／ｓ和２８８±０４７ＥＤＶ／ｓ；正常对照组分别为０６８±００２、５３２５±５２６°、３６６±０５１ＥＤＶ／ｓ和３３４±０８８ＥＤＶ／ｓ。两组比较，ｔ值分别为４５０、３１１、５８０和４６０，Ｐ均＜００１。阳性率为４８６％，心肌显像阳性率为６４％；放射性核素心脏显像检测ＳＬＥ心肌损害的灵敏度为６３％，特异性为８５％。结论放射性核素心脏显像可以客观评价ＳＬＥ患者左心室功能，对发现ＳＬＥ心肌损害及指导治疗有一定意义。     

^99mTc—DTPA肾动态显像在小儿肾盂积水中的应用

目的探讨９９ｍＴｃＤＴＰＡ肾动态显像诊断小儿肾盂积水的临床价值。方法常规９９ｍＴｃＤＴＰＡ肾动态显像方法，１５分钟后静脉注射速尿，共检查肾盂积水患儿４５例，其中７例作手术前后比较。定量分析指标包括：肾血流灌注率（ＢＰＲ），高峰摄取率（ＰＵＲ），半排泄时间（Ｔ１／２）。结果①ＢＰＲ随积水程度加重而明显下降，重度积水为１６８％±６８％，中度积水为３５１％±６９％，轻度积水为４０６％±９２％。ＰＵＲ在重度积水时为２１６％±１２９％。②７例患儿中６例术后ＢＰＲ明显升高。术前、术后Ｔ１／２分别为４１３±２０４和２２９±１１９分钟。术后Ｔ１／２明显改善。结论①ＢＰＲ可正确反映肾盂积水和肾功能受损程度，两者呈正相关；②术后肾功能改善情况和速尿介入能正确判断集尿系统有无梗阻存在     

改良半定量唾液腺动态显像分析腮腺功能方法初探

目的:建立改良99mTcO4-唾液腺动态显像方法和腮腺半定量功能指标.材料和方法:对30例正常人和44例干燥综合征患者分别进行30min99mTcO4-动态显像,于第15min时舌下含服维生素C(Vit.C)o.1g,利用计算机感兴趣区(ROI)技术和自编软件获得腮腺时间-放射性曲线和各功能参数,比较两组各功能指标.结果:74例受检者顺利完成检查.患者和正常对照组双侧腮腺第15min摄取指数、相对摄取指数及排泄分数差异明显(P<0.05).结论:改良99mTcO4-唾液腺动态显像省时,其功能指标可直观、客观反映腮腺功能,值得进一步推广.     

唾液腺核素显像在干燥综合症中的临床意义

目的评判唾液腺99mTcmO4-显像的功能及影像学特点，探讨唾液腺99mTcmO4-显像对干燥综合症患者的临床价值。方法对33例干燥综合症组的患者及10例健康体检组患者，行唾液腺核素99mTcmO4-显像，利用计算机感兴趣区（ROI）技术及软件获得摄取指数（UR）、相对摄取率（S／I）、排泄率（MSR）及高峰时间（Tmin），比较两组上述指标并进行统计学分析。结果干燥综合症组与健康体检组患者腮腺UR、S／I、MSR及Tmin差异有统计学意义（P值〈0．01），在干燥综合症患者中唾液腺轻度受损组与严重受损组上述指标差异有统计学意义（P值〈0．01）。结论唾液腺99mTcmO4-显像利用ROI技术时干燥综合症患者的诊断有重要临床价值，可以区分唾液腺受损差异。     

心肌灌注显像剂^99mTc—tetrofosmin的临床前研究

对８名健康志愿者进行９９ｍＴｃｔｅｔｒｏｆｏｓｍｉｎ的临床前试验。采用一天或两天显像方案，行９９ｍＴｃｔｅｔｒｏｆｏｓｍｉｎ运动负荷和静息显像。通过采血和留尿测定药代动力学参数；采用全身扫描及感兴趣区等技术进行人体分布、靶／非靶比值、有效显像剂量和显像方案研究；依ＭＩＲＤ法估算各种用药情况下的内照射吸收剂量，进行辐射安全评价。结果：９９ｍＴｃｔｅｔｒｏｆｏｓｍｉｎ符合一次静脉给药的药代动力学二室模型，血药总清除率为１２７０ｍｌ／ｍｉｎ；心肌摄取较高，以百分注射剂量（％ＩＤ）为单位，给药后５分钟和６０分钟，运动负荷显像分别为３４０±０１３和２３６±０１９，静息显像则为３１１±１０２和２２２±０６８，前者摄取略高；在２７０～９２５ＭＢｑ给药剂量范围内，一天或两天方案的平面及ＳＰＥＣＴ显像图同样清晰，肝和肺本底低；内照射吸收剂量符合安全标准。临床前试验证明，９９ｍＴｃｔｅｔｒｏｆｏｓｍｉｎ安全有效，这为临床应用提供了依据。     

放射性核素唾液腺显像及抗核抗体联合检查在干燥综合征中的诊断价值

目的 探讨放射性核素唾液腺动态显像及抗核抗体联合检查在干燥综合征中的诊断价值。 方法 对临床已确诊的30例原发性干燥综合征患者分别进行放射性核素唾液腺动态显像及抗核抗体联合检查,回顾性研究其在该病中的诊断价值。 结果 30例干燥综合征患者中,抗核抗体检查阳性患者19例,占63.3%,阴性11例,占36.7%;唾液腺动态显像阳性患者24例,占80%,阴性6例,占20%;唾液腺动态显像与抗核抗体联合检查阳性率为100%（30/30）,显著高于放射性核素唾液腺动态显像（P＜0.05）及抗核抗体检查（P＜0.01）。 结论 唾液腺动态显像及抗核抗体联合检查在干燥综合征筛查、诊断及评价唾液腺功能损伤程度等方面具有非常重要的临床价值。     

早期帕金森病123I-β-CIT脑SPECT显像研究

目的研究早期帕金森患者纹状体中多巴胺转运体的丢失情况。方法通过７例单侧帕金森患者及７例年龄、性别匹配（年龄±５年）的正常人１２３Ｉ２βｃａｒｂｏｍｅｔｈｏｘｙ３β（４ｉｏｄｏｐｈｅｎｙｌ）ｔｒｏｐａｎｅ（βＣＩＴ）脑ＳＰＥＣＴ显像，计算纹状体与小脑的放射性比值及纹状体中１２３ＩβＣＩＴ摄取的非对称指数，分析患者症状侧及症状对侧纹状体特异性１２３ＩβＣＩＴ的摄取。结果纹状体３小时及１８小时特异性摄取１２３ＩβＣＩＴ正常人为３０±０５和５５±０６；患者症状对侧为２０±０８和３１±０４，症状侧为２３±０４和４０±０５。与正常人比较，患者双侧纹状体的１２３ＩβＣＩＴ特异性摄取明显下降（Ｐ＜００１），症状侧纹状体摄取下降与年龄有关（Ｐ＜００５），症状对侧纹状体摄取下降与年龄无关（Ｐ＞００５）。结论早期帕金森患者双侧纹状体多巴胺转运体有不同程度的丢失，症状对侧丢失更明显     

Tc(V)- D M S的肿瘤定位机制:葡萄糖介导的酸中毒使肿瘤摄取对p H 敏感的 Tc(V)- D M S的靶/非靶比值增大

目的： Ｔｃ（Ⅴ） Ｄ Ｍ Ｓ能够对多种肿瘤进行显像，但显像机制尚无定论。本研究拟观察葡萄糖介导的酸中毒肿瘤摄取 Ｔｃ（Ⅴ） Ｄ Ｍ Ｓ程度的影响，以证实肿瘤摄取该药时对ｐ Ｈ 值的敏感性。方法：荷 Ｅｈｒｌｉｃｈ 腹水癌细胞株的小鼠 １５ 只，肿瘤种植部位为大腿内侧肌肉内。以直接微电极法和组化伞形酮法测定肿瘤组织的 ｐ Ｈ 值，以放射自显影法测定局部放射性强度，经 ３０％ ～４０％ 葡萄糖预处理动物模型改变肿瘤组织的 ｐ Ｈ 值。结果：血清测定表明，荷瘤小鼠的葡萄糖水平显著低于正常对照组。给予葡萄糖刺激动态测定，发现荷瘤小鼠组的上升幅度小、下降快，提示肿瘤处的葡萄糖代谢率增高，而直接微电极法与组化法证实肿瘤组织处的ｐ Ｈ 值低于肌肉处；肿瘤处的 ｐ Ｈ 值在葡萄糖预处理组与未处理组之间的差异达到 ０１５～０４６。将 Ｔｃ（Ⅴ） Ｄ Ｍ Ｓ的摄取以百分数表示，未给予葡萄糖处理的肿瘤处与肌肉组织处每克分别为０２４３％ ±００３０％ 和 ０１５７％ ±００６８％ ，二者比值为 １７７；给予葡萄糖 ５ｇ／ｋｇ 预处理组的肿瘤处的摄取值每克为 ０３６２％ ±０１００％ ，加大葡萄糖用量至６ｇ／ｋｇ 时，该值上升至每克 ０７１０％ ±     

Quantitative Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Salivary Gland Dysfunction in Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to investigate the usefulness of quantitative salivary single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) using Tc-99m pertechnetate in Sjögren’s syndrome (SS).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed quantitative salivary SPECT/CT data from 95 xerostomic patients who were classified as either SS (n?=?47, male:female?=?0:47, age?=?54.60?±?13.16 y [mean?±?SD]) or non-SS (n?=?48, male:female?=?5:43, age?=?54.94?±?14.04 y) by combination of anti-SSA/Ro antibody, labial salivary gland biopsy, unstimulated whole saliva flow rate, and Schirmer’s test. Thyroid cancer patients (n?=?43, male:female?=?19:24, age?=?46.37?±?12.13 y) before radioactive iodine therapy served as negative controls. Quantitative SPECT/CT was performed pre-stimulatory 20 min and post-stimulatory 40 min after injection of Tc-99m pertechnetate (15 mCi). The %injected dose at 20 min and the %excretion between 20 and 40 min were calculated for parotid and submandibular glands, generating four quantitative parameters: %parotid uptake (%PU), %submandibular uptake (%SU), %parotid excretion (%PE), and %submandibular excretion (%SE). The most useful parameter for SS diagnosis was investigated.

Results

The uptake parameters (%PU and %SU) were significantly different among the SS, non-SS, and negative controls (p?=?0.005 for %PU and p?<?0.001 for %SU, respectively), but the excretion parameters (%PE and %SE) were not (p?>?0.05 for both). The %PU and %SU were significantly lower in SS than in the negative controls and non-SS (p?<?0.05 for all pair-wise comparisons). Additionally, the %SU was significantly lower in non-SS than in the negative controls (p?<?0.05). Receiver-operating characteristic analysis revealed that the %SU had the greatest area-under-the curve of 0.720 (95% confidence interval?=?0.618–0.807). Using the optimal cut-off value of %SU?≤?0.07%, SS was identified with a sensitivity of 70.21% and a specificity of 70.83%.

Conclusion

Reduced submandibular uptake of Tc-99m pertechnetate at 20 min (%SU) was proved useful for the diagnosis of SS. Quantitative salivary gland SPECT/CT holds promise as an objective imaging modality for assessment of salivary dysfunction and may facilitate accurate classification of SS.

     

Diagnostic validity of dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy with ascorbic acid stimulation in patients with Sjögren's syndrome: comparation with unstimulated whole sialometry

BACKGROUND/AIM: Beside many actual groups of classification criteria, uniform classification criteria for Sj?gren's syndrome (SS) are still missing. The ophtalmic component of SS is well defined. Criteria for classifying its oral component remain controversial. The fifth item of the European Union and the United States of America (EU-US) revised diagnostic classification criteria in 2002, is an objective evidence of xerostomia, diagnosed by one of the tests: unstimulated whole sialometry (UWS), parotid sialography, and dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy (DSGS). The aim of this study was to evaluate senstitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and accuracy of DSGS with ascorbic acid stimulation in detecting xerostomia in SS patients and to compare DSGS findings with UWS values. METHODS: Tests DSGS and UWS were done in 20 patients with SS and in 10 of the control subjects. The findings of DSGS were graded from 1 to 4 scintigraphie (SCT) grade 1--normal finding; SCT grade 2--moderate function damage; SCT grade 3--serious function damage, SCT grade 4--very serious function damage. UWS measured 1.5 hour after the breakfast lasted 15 minutes. UWS bellow 2.5 ml/15min min. considered pathological. RESULTS: All SS patients had pathological SCT findings. Comparing SCT grade between the patients and the control group, high statistical significance was found (p < 0.001). The estimated sensitivity of DSGS was 100%, specificity 80%, positive predictive value 91%, negative predictive value 100% and accuracy 93%. The calculated sensitivity of UWS was 75%. Salivary function damage detected by scintigraphy was in positive correlation with UWS findings. CONCLUSION: DSGS is a diagnostic test with high sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive and negative predictive values in detecting salivary function damage in SS patients. DSGS and UWS are very sensitive diagnostic tests for objective evidence of xerostomia, and have to be ones of the earliest investigations which shoud be performed in subjects suspected of SS. Test DSGS is more sensitive, and seems to better reflect symptoms of dry mouth than UWS.     

Objective evidence of decreased salivary function in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (chronic thyroiditis,Hashimoto's thyroiditis)

Impaired salivary flow is found in Sj?gren's syndrome, which is a common, chronic, autoimmune, inflammatory connective tissue disease, mainly affecting the exocrine glands. Histopathologically, lymphocytic infiltrations of the salivary glands are found in Sj?gren's syndrome that are similar to those of the thyroid gland in autoimmune thyroiditis (chronic thyroiditis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis). To test this hypothesis by Daniels et al ., salivary function was measured by quantitative salivary scintigraphy in autoimmune thyroiditis patients, as well as in age- and sex-matched controls. Forty patients, each with a history of autoimmune thyroiditis of over 10 years, and 61 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. All of the 40 autoimmune thyroiditis patients had good blood sugar control. None presented autonomic neuropathy. They were separated into two subgroups: patient group 1, 20 patients with xerostomia; patient group 2, 20 patients without xerostomia. Two control groups of healthy subjects were included for comparison: control group 1, 36 subjects without xerostomia; control group 2, 25 subjects with xerostomia. After intravenous injection of 5 mCi (99m)Tc-pertechnetate, sequential images at 1 min per frame were acquired for 30 min. The first and 15th minute uptake ratios (URs) were calculated from the tracer uptakes in the four major salivary glands relative to the background regions of interest (ROIs). Saliva excretion was stimulated by one tablet of 200 mg ascorbic acid given orally 15 min after injection of the tracer. The maximal excretion ratios (ERs) of the four major salivary glands after sialagogue stimulation were calculated. Impaired salivary function, represented by significantly decreased UR and ER values, in autoimmune thyroiditis patients with xerostomia was demonstrated in this study. Significantly poorer salivary function was found in autoimmune thyroiditis patients with xerostomia, when compared with autoimmune thyroiditis patients without xerostomia and healthy controls with or without xerostomia, via objective and quantitative salivary scintigraphy. However, a larger series of autoimmune thyroiditis patients is necessary to confirm our findings.     

Salivary gland scintigraphy: the use of semiquantitative analysis for uptake and clearance

OBJECTIVE: Quantitative analysis of (99m)Tc-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy has been used in the evaluation of salivary gland function, but so far no one method can be considered optimal for this task. In this study, a semiquantitative method providing 2 functional parameters for objective assessment of salivary gland function by scintillation camera imaging was tested. METHODS: Twenty-one patients referred for (99m)Tc-pertechnetate thyroid scanning were studied. Two patients with salivary complaints were also included. Dynamic imaging of the anterior head using a scintillation camera was started after a bolus intravenous injection of 185 MBq (5 mCi) (99m)Tc-pertechnetate at 1 frame per 30 s for 30 min. At 15 min after injection, diluted lemon juice was administered orally. Analysis of the dynamic study included time-activity curves of 4 salivary glands (right and left parotid and right and left submandibular). Two parameters of function were defined: uptake rate, taken as the value of the initial slope of the time-activity curve, and washout fraction, which was the relative mobilizable radioactivity from each salivary gland after ingestion of the sialogogue. A parametric image of the washout fraction was also generated. RESULTS: The images showed gradual uptake in the parotid and submandibular glands. Washout was noted immediately after ingestion of the lemon juice. The pattern of the time-activity curve in all glands showed an early fast-rising part followed by a slow-rising component to nearly a plateau within 6-10 min after injection. The mean value of the uptake rate parameter was 0.10 +/- 0.09 cps/s. There was no significant difference between the parotid and submandibular glands or the right and left sides. Uptake in the parotid gland was 1.5-2 times that in the submandibular gland. The washout fraction was 1.40 +/- 1.60 for the parotid glands and 0.77 +/- 0.41 for the submandibular glands (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The quantitative analysis method including the uptake rate and the washout fraction parameters would enable objective assessment of salivary function and provide a reproducible means for follow-up of functional impairment in certain diseases.     

Scoring analysis of salivary gland scintigraphy in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the validity of a scoring system based on excretion rate of salivary gland scintigraphy in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS). Total scintigraphic scores were compared with the results of the Saxon test. One hundred and twenty-four subjects who were clinically diagnosed with SjS and 11 normal ones underwent salivary gland scintigraphy and the Saxon test. In salivary gland scintigraphy, the difference between maximum and minimum counts after stimulation using vitamin C divided by maximum counts was defined as the excretion rate. We then defined a scoring system with 4 grades: severe dysfunction = 3 (excretion rate < 25%), moderate dysfunction = 2 (25% ≤ excretion rate < 40%), mild dysfunction = 1 (40% ≤ excretion rate < 50%) and normal function = 0 (50% ≤ excretion rate). The summation of the total scintigraphic score (0–12) of all 4 salivary glands was used as a semi-quantitative index indicating total salivary gland function, and total scintigraphic scores were compared with the results of the Saxon test. A significant inverse linear correlation (R² = 0.95) was observed between total scintigraphic scores and mean values of the Saxon test within a range of abnormal scintigraphic scores (≥ 4). The scoring system developed in the present study is a clinically available, objective, and reproducible method for evaluation of salivary gland function in patients with SjS.     

Physiologic comparison and validation of Stairobic stepping with bench stepping.

To compare the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise on the Stairobic stepping (SS) machine with bench stepping (BS), 12 healthy men and women (mean age 23 years) underwent six different five minute exercise bouts that were randomly assigned. Tests were conducted using standard open circuit calorimetry. SS at 40 and 60 st/min was equal to BS at 20 st/min and SS at 80 st/min was equal to BS at 30 st/min for VE and RER. VO2 was equal at 20 st/min (BS) and 60 st/min (SS), and 30 st/min (BS) and 80 st/min (SS). Stairobic MET (SM) displayed values over-estimated actual MET (AM) values at the two lowest SS rates and under-estimated the AM value at the highest SS rate. Forty-eight observations of the MET response of SS were conducted and analyzed (BMDP2R) in a forward stepping solution. The multiple regression equation calculated for AM was: AM = -0.567 + -0.012 (WT) + 0.063 (rate) + 0.612 (SM) with an adjusted R2 of 0.82 and a SEE of 0.90. The physiologic cost of BS was approximately equal to SS at two to three times the BS rate of stepping.     

Salivary gland scintigraphy in Sjögren's syndrome: are quantitative indices the answer?

We evaluated the role of quantitative indices derived from dynamic 99mTc-pertechnetate salivary scintigraphy in the differentiation between a group of patients with Sj?gren's syndrome (SS), a group of patients without xerostomia, but with underlying autoimmune disorders, and a group of controls. Seventeen patients with SS (group A), 18 patients with autoimmune disorders (group B) and 15 controls (group C) underwent dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy. Functional indices for the parotid and submandibular glands were calculated and comparisons were made between the groups. There were no significant differences between the three groups in terms of the maximum accumulation (MA), maximum secretion (MS) and pre-stimulatory oral index (PRI). The uptake ratios (URs) for both the right and left parotid glands and the left submandibular gland in group A were significantly lower than those in group C, but no different from those in group B. The URs for the parotid glands in group B were significantly less than those in group C. The percentage uptake by the right parotid gland at 4 min (U4) was significantly lower in group A than in groups B or C, and lower than the percentage uptake by the left parotid gland at 4 min in group A. The rest of the U4 values and all of the uptakes at 14 min (U14) were not significantly different between the three groups. The time taken for the right parotid gland to reach peak activity (Tmax) was significantly less in group A than in the other groups, but other glands showed no significant differences. It can be concluded that MA, MS and PRI cannot be used to differentiate between the three groups. The URs in groups A and B were no different, but were significantly lower than those in group C. However, the extensive overlap between xerostomic patients and normal controls for all the quantitative indices calculated imposes a severe limitation on their discriminatory power.     

Quantitative evaluation of salivary gland scintigraphy in Sjögren’s syndrome: comparison of diagnostic efficacy and relationship with pathological features of the salivary glands

The value of salivary gland scintigraphy (SGS) in the evaluation of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of quantitative SGS in patients with xerostomia and to assess the correlation between scintigraphic parameters and pathological features of salivary glands. Medical records of 165 patients with xerostomia who underwent [99mTc] pertechnetate SGS and labial biopsy were retrospectively reviewed. The maximum accumulation ratio (MAR), maximum secretion ratio (MSR), and time interval from stimulation to minimum count (Tmin) of the parotid glands were calculated to quantify the glandular activity. Furthermore, pre-stimulatory oral activity index (PRI) and post-stimulatory oral activity index (POI) were calculated to quantify the oral activity. All parameters except for Tmin were significantly lower in patients with SS than in those without SS. Among the five SGS parameters, PRI showed the highest areas under the curve value (0.9005; p < 0.001), and PRI > 32.75 was associated with a sensitivity of 78.5% and specificity of 86.4% for the diagnosis of SS. A decrease in MAR, MSR, PRI, and POI and an increase in Tmin correlate significantly with the histopathologic grade of labial gland biopsy and disease severity of SS. No significant differences in glandular parameters (MAR, MSR, and Tmin) were found between the non-SS and early-stage SS groups. Conventional scintigraphic parameters could be used as simple, reliable, and sensitive indicators for the early diagnosis of SS and determination of disease severity.     

Diagnosis of the Mikulicz-Sjogren syndrome using biopsy of the minor salivary glands

BACKGROUND: Sj?gren's syndrome (SS) represents autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, destruction and insufficiency of exocrine glands, particularly salivary and lacrimal glands, accompanied by dryness of mouths and eyes. Diagnostic work-up involves clinical laboratory tests, radiography, scintigraphy and bioptic histopathological examination. Examination of small salivary glands in the biopsy of the lower lip represents a "golden standard" of diagnosis of SS, concerning the fact that the growth and the disfunction of salivary and lacrimal glands occurs in different pathologic states. METHODS: Resected specimens of the lower lip were obtained from 47 patients with clinical diagnosis of SS. After standard histopathological treatment, slices were hematoxylin and eosin stained. Immunohistochemistry against smooth muscle actin was performed using LSAB+ method (AHSMA-M7558, DAKO 1:50). On the basis of generally accepted histopathological diagnostic criteria the results were categorized as: findings suspicious for SS; findings compatible with the diagnosis of SS (mild, moderate and high degree of inflammation); nonspecific inflammatory reaction and nonrepresentative biopsy samples. RESULTS: Diagnosis of SS was confirmed in 32% of cases. In 2% of cases findings were suspected for SS, in 36% of cases findings were compatible with the diagnosis of nonspecific inflammation, and in 30% of cases material was not representative. CONCLUSIONS: By the biopsy of salivary glands of the lower lip the diagnosis of SS was confirmed in 50-60% of cases. Upon the precise diagnostic criteria it was also possible to determine the intensity of inflammation and tissue destruction in SS and identify other pathological conditions, which justified the biopsy. Surgical technique had to be adequate in order to obtain representative number of small salivary glands. In the presented material 30% of specimens were nonrepresentative which was very high percentage compared with literature data. This was most probably the reason why the diagnosis of SS was confirmed in only 32% of cases, i.e., in every third patient.