Tc-99m-labeled human polyclonal immunoglobulin G (HIG) scintigraphy in Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of Tc-99m-HIG scintigraphy in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.


METHODS
Twelve consecutive patients with verified secondary Sjögren's syndrome were included in this prospective study. The control group consisted of seven patients with Lupus erythematosus; none of them showed clinical signs of Sjögren's syndrome. Planar and SPECT images of the head were performed six hours after i.v. administration of Tc-99m HIG.


RESULTS
Eleven out of twelve patients with secondary Sjögren's syndrome showed a positive result, while one was false negative. Tracer accumulation in patients with positive scintigraphy varied. All patients of the control group were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data in a limited number of patients suggest that Tc-99m HIG scintigraphy could be a modality with high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome and can provide objective information on the severity of the disease.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Vienna, Austria. georg.karanikas@akh-wien.ac.at
Georgios
G
Karanikas
Klaus
K
Bobacz
Alexander
A
Becherer
Karoline
K
Wiesner
Robert
R
Dudczak
Klaus
K
Machold
Kurt
K
Kletter
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m