Salivary gland imaging techniques for the diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome

Abstract

Extensive evaluation of the utility of newer imaging techniques in diagnosing Sjogren’s syndrome has revealed that all of the techniques provide useful information that can help to differentiate between patients with Sjogren’s syndrome and healthy individuals, with sensitivity and specificity ranging from 70–95%. However, there is a need for greater technique validation using disease-control patients with dry mouth and careful comparison with other diagnostic methods. Furthermore, a universally accepted grading of abnormal imaging findings observed in salivary glands is needed. Clarification of these matters will enable the clinician to choose the most reliable imaging technique to diagnose Sjogren’s syndrome.