For a study, it was determined that in patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS), multiple imaging methods (such as sialography and salivary gland scintigraphy) were used to examine the parotid glands. However, their usage was restricted due to their invasive nature and expensive cost. Rheumatologists were becoming interested in ultrasound (US) as a supplementary diagnostic technique for SS. To date, there was a growing amount of evidence that supports its sensitivity in assessing salivary glands in SS. Researchers sought to look at the possible function of ultrasound as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in SS, as well as to review the evidence that supported its usage.
The results of the research included in the review revealed promising results in terms of accuracy, validity, and diagnostic usefulness, leading to assume that US might become the standard imaging method for assessing SS in the future. The studies comprised a limited number of participants, and there was no standardized strategy for assessing salivary glands in the United States.
In SS, ultrasound of the main salivary glands can help with diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy response. The use of this imaging technology is still in its early stages, and further multicentric investigations are required to confirm this instrument.
Reference:journals.lww.com/jclinrheum/Abstract/2018/06000/Latest_Advances_in_Ultrasound_Assessment_of.9.aspx