title: A comparison of diagnostic tools for Sjögren syndrome, with emphasis on sialography, histopathology, and ultrasonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study examined the reliability and correlation of sialography, salivary gland biopsy, and ultrasonography for Sjögren syndrome (SS) and evaluated the usefulness of ultrasonography as a diagnostic tool for SS compared with sialography and histopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three patients who underwent sialography, ultrasonography, and salivary gland biopsy were included in this study. The study evaluated the diagnostic reliability and correlation of each kind of examination with SS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant difference in the sensitivities of sialography and histopathology, in the specificities of sialography and ultrasonography, and in the accuracies of sialography and both ultrasonography and histopathology. The correlation coefficient (r) between sialography and ultrasonography was significantly higher than the others and indicated a good correlation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonography can be used as a diagnostic tool for SS, with its advantage of noninvasiveness and ease of use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Radiology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. obinata@den.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Obinata
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohmori
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shindo
authors.forename: Motoyasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012796:Sialography; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides