ABSTRACT
During a 9-year period from October 2002 to October 2011, 561 patients with swelling in the submandibular gland (n=474) and parotid gland (n=87) were successfully studied using sialendoscopy, and the features and pathological changes of the duct evaluated and recorded. Abnormalities were noted in 552/561 cases (98%), and normal features in 9 (2%). The pathological changes in 467 submandibular glands were identified both endoscopically and radiographically, and endoscopic findings showed 3 types: sialolith (n=423, 91%), mucus plug (n=15, 3%), and stenosis (n=29, 6%). In 12 cases foreign bodies (fish bones) were found fixed in calculi. In 85 parotid glands the main pathological finding in the duct was stenosis (n=64, 75%, mucus plug (n=12, 14%), and sialolith (n=9, 11%). Several microstructures had been found on sialendoscopy, including sublingual opening, a basin-like structure in the hilar region, a sphincter phenomenon, and hyperplasia. Sialendoscopy can give direct information about the salivary duct, and in some cases indicate the possible mechanism of obstruction.
Subject(s)
Endoscopy/methods , Parotitis/diagnosis , Sialadenitis/diagnosis , Submandibular Gland Diseases/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Constriction, Pathologic/diagnosis , Constriction, Pathologic/diagnostic imaging , Endoscopes/classification , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Foreign Bodies/diagnosis , Foreign Bodies/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Hyperplasia , Male , Middle Aged , Mucus/diagnostic imaging , Parotitis/diagnostic imaging , Retrospective Studies , Salivary Duct Calculi/diagnosis , Salivary Duct Calculi/diagnostic imaging , Salivary Ducts/pathology , Salivary Gland Calculi/diagnosis , Salivary Gland Calculi/diagnostic imaging , Sialadenitis/diagnostic imaging , Sialography/methods , Submandibular Gland Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Young AdultABSTRACT
Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease that mainly affects the exocrine glands. A set of indexes have been established to evaluate the disease activity in SS, including symptoms, systemic characteristics, and long-term disease damage as well as the patients' quality of life. This article briefly introduced the background, content, and scoring rules of SS indexes. Current clinical applications and prospects were also reviewed.