ultrasound scanning of the submandibular gland for examining sjogren&#39;s syndrome

Teknik för ultraljudsundersökning av spottkörteln vid Sjögrens syndrom

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration in exocrine glands, including the salivary and lacrimal glands. Xerostomia, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and extraglandular manifestations, including arthralgia, cytopenia, and lymphoma, are described in patients with SS. SS can be divided into primary and secondary types, in which the latter occurs in association with other connective tissue diseases. In the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for primary SS, anti-SSA/Ro positivity and lymphocytic infiltration in labial salivary gland biopsy contributed to the two major criteria, whereas Schirmer's test, ocular staining score, and unstimulated salivary flow represented the rest of the minor criteria1. The criteria are summarized in Table 1. Labial biopsy is an invasive procedure with potential complications, including sampling error, sensory loss, and hematoma formation2. Ocular staining tests and salivary flow assessment require specialized settings and might not be widely available. 
Salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS) is a non-invasive imaging modality that provides a detailed examination of the superficial salivary gland structure, which is commonly affected in patients with SS. Lymphocytic infiltration and inflammation in the salivary glands often lead to fatty infiltration, fibrosis, and loss of parenchyma, resulting in parenchymal inhomogeneity detected in SGUS3. The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) working group derived an ultrasound scoring system from grades 0 to 3 to semi-quantify inhomogeneity and the presence of hypoechoic areas within the parotid or submandibular glands4. A cutoff of grade 2 or above in at least one gland was found to correlate with positive labial biopsies, sialometry, and positive autoantibodies5. It demonstrated excellent specificity and good sensitivity in fulfilling the 2016 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for primary SS when given similar weight as the minor criteria. This protocol presents a standardized and practical approach for diagnosing SGUS in SS in clinical settings.

Författare i fokus: Fokus på standardiserat ultraljudsprotokoll för spottkörtlar i forskning om bindvävssjukdomar

Ultraljudsutvärdering av spottkörtlar för Sjögrens syndrom: Diagnostiska och övervakningsinsikter

Our research focus is connective tissue diseases, including Sjogren's syndrome, and we will describe a standardized approach to saliva and ultrasound in diagnosing Sjogren's syndrome. We hope the protocol will be useful for clinicians unfamiliar with doing ultrasound to enhance its application in clinical practice. Ultrasound is a powerful tool in evaluating various rheumatological conditions, including arthritis, sjogren syndrome, and interstitial lung disease.It is helpful in diagnosis, monitoring and prognostication. It can be applied as an outcome measure in clinical studies such as detecting subclinical synovitis to assess the risk of rheumatoid arthritis progression. Ultrasound is an operator-dependent procedure and the result may be unreliable if inexperienced, hence performed.Well validated and quantitative measurements are often needed to standardize the description and reporting of pathological sonographic findings before they can be applied in clinical practice and research. In this procedure, we will describe how to conduct a salivary gland ultrasound in patients with sicker symptoms. This approach is easy to perform and can usually be completed within 10 to 15 minutes.We'll also demonstrate techniques to perform reliable and reproducible results to ensure the quality of the ultrasound scanning. Our center will continue to research on applying ultrasound in diagnosis and monitoring in rheumatology. We will research utilizing lung ultrasound for screening of interstitial lung disease associated with connective tissue diseases, hoping to improve the current screening strategy for lung fibrosis in rheumatology patients.

Ultraljudsundersökning av underkäken för utredning av Sjögrens syndrom

Placera patienten i ryggläge med huvudet maximalt lutat bakåt. För att få den tvärgående view av den submandibulära körteln, placera givaren precis under underkäkens vinkel vid det submandibulära området. Undersök hela den submandibulära körteln från främre till bakre, underkäken, mylohyoida muskler och den främre buken av de digastriska musklerna band den.Få den längsgående view genom att placera sonden medialt mot underkäkens horisontella kropp. Visualisera ansiktsartären i detta plan. Spara och märk bilderna i både tvärgående och längsgående vyer av den submandibulära körteln.Bedöm storleken på den submandibulära körteln. Undersök ekogeniciteten hos den submandibulära körteln, som vanligtvis är mindre ekogen än öronspottkörteln. Bedöm graden av inhomogenitet, klarheten i körtelmarginalen och förekomsten av hypo- eller ekoområden i körtlarna.Notera förekomsten av fokala lesioner. Gradera graden av inhomogenitet med hjälp av OMERACT-poängen. Om utvärderingen av körteln inte är möjlig på grund av kvalitativa parametrar, följ de alternativa graderingsparametrarna.Mät storleken på de submandibulära lymfkörtlarna, utvärdera fetthilums, form, ekogenicitet och bevarande. Upprepa skanningen vid den kontralaterala submandibulära körteln och jämför storleken och ekostrukturen mellan de två submandibulära körtlarna. Normala submandibulära körtlar uppvisade en tydlig avgränsning med de överliggande strukturerna.

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

Ultrasound Scanning of the Submandibular Gland for Examining Sjogren&#39;s Syndrome

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Salivary Glands for Sjogren's Syndrome: Diagnostic and Monitoring Insights

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune condition commonly affecting the exocrine glands, causing oral or ocular dryness and extraglandular ...

Ultrasound Setting and Scanning of the Thyroid Gland for Examining Sjogren&#39;s Syndrome

Ultraljudsinställning och skanning av sköldkörteln för utredning av Sjögrens syndrom

Ultrasound Scanning of the Parotid Gland for Examining Sjogren&#39;s Syndrome

Ultraljudsundersökning av öronspottkörteln för utredning av Sjögrens syndrom