The following is a summary of “Novel OMERACT Ultrasound Scoring System for Salivary Gland Changes in Patients With Sjögren Syndrome Is Associated With MRI and Salivary Flow Rates,” published in the November 2023 issue of Rheumatology by Inanc et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the validity of the novel Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) ultrasound (US) semiquantitative scoring system for assessing morphological lesions in major salivary glands by comparing it with MRI and unstimulated whole salivary flow rates (U-WSFRs) in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS).
They had 9 sonographers utilize the OMERACT 0-3 grayscale scoring system for assessing parotid (PGs) and submandibular glands (SMGs) in 11 patients with pSS who underwent MRIs. Two radiologists then evaluated these MRIs using a semiquantitative 0-3 scoring system for morphological lesions. Determined the agreement between US and MRI and defined gland pathology as a score ≥ 2 for both imaging methods.
The results showed a 58% prevalence of US morphological lesions (score ≥ 2) for PGs and 76% for SMGs, compared to 46% and 41% for PGs and SMGs, in MRI. The agreement between OMERACT US and MRI scores ranged from 73% to 91% (median 82%) for the right PG, 73% to 91% (median 91%) for the left PG, and from 55% to 91% (median 55%) for the right SMG and 55% to 82% (median 55%) for the left SMG. Examining the association between hyposalivation presence and a US score ≥ 2 showed an agreement of 91% to 100% (median 83%) in both PGs and 55% to 91% (median 67%) in both SMGs.
They concluded that there was a moderate to strong correlation between OMERACT US and MRI scores for major salivary glands in pSS patients.
Source: jrheum.org/content/early/2023/11/24/jrheum.2023-0202
