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Published on: October 13, 2023
Sonographic findings of immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing sialadenitis
Satomi Omotehara1,2, Mutsumi Nishida3,4, Megumi Satoh4,5
1Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, N14 W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8648, Japan. satomi_omote@yahoo.co.jp.
Purpose:
We evaluated the sonographic findings of immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing sialadenitis (IgG4-SS).
Methods:
Nineteen patients with IgG4-SS and 12 healthy volunteers (controls) were enrolled. The following sonographic features were evaluated: (1) enlargement of the submandibular gland by measurement of the longitudinal diameter and thickness; (2) the contour texture of the submandibular gland (smooth or rough); (3) the internal echo texture, categorized into three sonographic patterns (homogeneous, multiple hypoechoic nodule, and diffuse hypoechoic); and (4) quantitative color Doppler signaling.
Results:
The longitudinal diameter and the thickness (mean ± SD) of the submandibular gland were significantly greater in patients than in controls (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). Contour roughness was seen in 62.9 and 8.3 % of patients and controls (p < 0.001), respectively. Homogeneous echo textures alone were seen in controls, whereas multiple hypoechoic nodule patterns were seen in 60 % of the patients, and diffuse hypoechoic patterns were seen in 40 %. Color Doppler signaling (mean ± SD) was significantly higher in patients as compared with controls (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Patients could be distinguished from healthy volunteers using four distinctive sonographic findings, suggesting that ultrasonography would be a useful diagnostic tool for IgG4-SS.
