Minor salivary gland evaluation: Sjögren's syndrome

We aimed to analyze the value of 3 serial sections, spaced 200 µm apart, for quantification of lymphocyte and plasma cell foci in minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB).

Labial MSGBs from 69 patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and scleroderma were used for this study. Each sample was prepared as 3 serial sections spaced 200 µm apart. Lymphocytic and plasma cell focus score (LFS, PFS) were determined for each section, and the diagnostic results were compared to those obtained from a single section.

For 22 of the 69 patients, all 3 sections were scored at <1 and interpreted as inconclusive for the presence of SS. For 20 cases, all 3 sections were scored at ≥1 and interpreted as diagnostic for SS. In the remaining 27 cases, the score was found to vary between sections. Plasma cell foci were observed in 11 cases, with 5 cases exhibiting a PFS of ≥1. Of those 5 cases, 4 also had a LFS of ≥1.

Assessment of 3 serial sections in MSGB has the potential to improve accuracy of SS diagnosis by detecting specific features that may not have been detected in a single section. We concluded that data about the PFS require further evaluation.