Utilidad de la cintigrafía de glándulas salivales en el síndrome de Sjogren y su relación con el resultado de la biopsia de labio: estudio comparativo con una población control / Salivary gland scintigraphy and lip biopsy in patients with Sjogren syndrome and normal controls

RESUMO

Background: Salivary gland scintigraphy allows a non invasive, morphological and functional assessment of parotid and submaxillary salivary glands. Aim: To describe the main features of salivary gland scintigraphy in patients with Sjögren syndrome, rheumatic fibromyalgia and normal controls and compare the results with lip biopsy. Patients and methods: Sixty one normal controls, 66 patients with Sjögren syndrome and 18 patients with rheumatic fibromyalgia were studied. For the diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome and fibromyalgia rheumatica, the Modified European and American College of Rheumatology criteria were used, respectively. Lip biopsies were obtained in 52 patients with Sjögren syndrome. Scintigraphy was done with a gamma camera and computer after the administration of 99mTc-pertechnetate, obtaining images during 30 min and creating time/activity curves. Scintigraphy was classified as normal, with mild or severe alterations. Results: Scintigraphy was normal in 74 percent of control subjects and in 26 percent, it had mild alterations. In 72 percent of patients with rheumatic fibromyalgia, scintigraphy was normal whereas in 28 percent, it had mild alterations. In 27 percent of patients with Sjögren syndrome, scintigraphy was normal, in 27 percent it had mild alterations and in 46 percent, severe alterations. There was a positive and significant correlation between pathological alterations of salivary glands and scintigraphic alterations (r=0.642, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Severe scintigraphic alterations of salivary glands strongly support the diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome. Mild alterations are non specific and anormal scintigraphy does not exclude the diagnosis