UHFUS: A Valuable Tool in Evaluating Exocrine Gland Abnormalities in Sjögren’s Disease

Sjögren’s Disease (SjD) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to xerostomia and xerophthalmia. Ultrasonography of Major Salivary Glands (SGUS) is a well-established tool for the identification of the salivary glands’ abnormalities in SjD. Recently, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diagnostics (Basel) 2023-08, Vol.13 (17), p.2771
Main Authors: Fulvio, Giovanni, Izzetti, Rossana, Aringhieri, Giacomo, Donati, Valentina, Ferro, Francesco, Gabbriellini, Giovanna, Mosca, Marta, Baldini, Chiara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brief Report
Comparative analysis
Diagnostic imaging
Exocrine glands
Histology
labial salivary glands
lacrimal glands
Lymphoma
minor salivary glands
Mouth
Patient safety
Sjögren’s disease (SjD)
ultra-high frequency ultrasound
Ultrasonic imaging
Ultrasound imaging
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Summary:Sjögren’s Disease (SjD) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to xerostomia and xerophthalmia. Ultrasonography of Major Salivary Glands (SGUS) is a well-established tool for the identification of the salivary glands’ abnormalities in SjD. Recently, a growing interest has arisen in the assessment of the other exocrine glands with ultrasonography: lacrimal glands (LGUS) and labial salivary glands (LSGUS). The objective of this study is to explore the practical applications of ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) in the assessment of lacrimal glands and labial salivary glands. Indeed, UHFUS, with its improved spatial resolution compared to conventional ultrasonography, allows for the evaluation of microscopic structures and has been successfully applied in various medical fields. In lacrimal glands, conventional high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) can detect characteristic inflammatory changes, atrophic alterations, blood flow patterns, and neoplastic lesions associated with SjD. However, sometimes it is challenging to identify lacrimal glands characteristics, thus making UHFUS a promising tool. Regarding labial salivary glands, limited research is available with conventional HFUS, but UHFUS proves to be a good tool to evaluate glandular inhomogeneity and to guide labial salivary glands biopsy. The comprehensive understanding of organ involvement facilitated by UHFUS may significantly improve the management of SjD patients.
ISSN:2075-4418
2075-4418
DOI:10.3390/diagnostics13172771