Sjögren syndrome: comparison of assessments with MR sialography and conventional sialography.

PURPOSE

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) sialography with that of conventional sialography in the assessment of salivary gland disease in Sjögren syndrome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-five patients (32 women, three men; age range, 18-69 years) suspected of having Sjögren syndrome were examined with MR sialography and conventional sialography. Gradient and spin-echo MR sialography was performed with a 1.5-T system. MR sialographic findings were compared with conventional sialographic findings.

RESULTS

In 31 (89%) patients, the stage of salivary gland disease determined with MR sialography accurately correlated with that determined with conventional sialography. However, the stage at MR sialography was higher in two patients: They had stage I disease but were determined to have stage II disease. In two other patients, the stage at MR sialography was lower: A patient with stage II disease and a patient with stage III disease were determined to have stage I and stage II disease, respectively. The correlation between the stage at conventional sialography and that at MR sialography (P < .001) can be estimated with the following equation: conventional sialographic stage = 0.021 + 0.982 x (MR sialographic stage). Both the sensitivity and the specificity of MR sialography in the diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome were 100%.

CONCLUSION

MR sialography is highly accurate in the evaluation of salivary gland disease in Sjögren syndrome.