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Updated: Jan 5, 2026

Author Spotlight: A Focus on Standardized Salivary Gland Ultrasound Protocol in Connective Tissue Disease Research
Published on: October 13, 2023
Minor salivary glands: Clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features of common and less common pathologies
Doron J Aframian1, Naama Keshet1, Chen Nadler1
1Department of Oral Medicine, Sedation and Maxillofacial Imaging, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
Abstract:
Hundreds of minor salivary glands (MiSGs) are scattered in the oral cavity located at the submucosa layer. Beside their role in the oral cavity lubrication and immunity defence system, MiSGs are beneficial tissue source for diagnosing oral and non-oral related diseases. The advantage of MiSGs as a diagnostic tool reside on their fairly simple excisional procedure on one hand and negligible impact of the normal secretion capability of the salivary gland system on the other hand. The review focuses on pathologies related to developmental, reactive, metabolic, inflammatory and immunologic conditions, Iatrogenic causes and other undefined causes.
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