Objective To investigate the correlation and diagnostic value between ultrasonographic scoring system and pathological grading of the salivary glands in primary Sj(o)gren's syndrome (pSS).Methods Fifty-seven patients with a suspected diagnosis of pSS were examined by ultrasonography and salivary gland biopsy.The ultrasound imaging of the salivary glands were analyzed and graded according to a 5-point (0-4)ultrasonographic scoring system.The results of salivary gland biopsy were graded according to the degree of lymphocytic infiltration.The receiver operating curve (ROC) was drawn and the area under curve (AUC) was calculated to test the diagnostic performance of the two methods.Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to compare the correlation between the two methods.Results Among the 57 patients,a definite diagnosis of pSS was established in 39 patients.The sensitivity,specificity and AUC of the ultrasonographic scoring system were 87.2％,77.8％ and 0.893 respectively,the sensitivity,specificity,and AUC of the salivary gland biopsy were 74.4％,88.9％ and 0.870 respectively.The ultrasonographic scoring system and grading of salivary gland biopsy showed a significant positive correlation (r=0.755,P＜0.01).Conclusion There is a good consistency between the u1ltrasonographic scoring system and the grading of salivary gland biopsy.As the diagrnostic value of the two methods are similar,ultrasonography reaches great diagnostic efficiency in pSS.

A total of 87 patients with primary Sjögren′s syndrome (pSS) admitted in Jiangyin Hospital affiliated to South-East University Medical College from August 2014 to September 2018 were enrolled. According to severity, the ultrasonographic images of salivary glands were analyzed and graded to 0-4 scores, it is defined as positive if the scores ≥ 2. The ultrasonographic positive rate of submandibular glands and parotid glands were 94.3% (164/174) and 71.3% (124/174), respectively (χ²=32.22, P<0.05). The median scores of submandibular glands and parotid glands were 3 and 2 (Z=9.70, P<0.05). No significant difference was found in the ultrasonographic scores between the right and left glands of the same salivary glands (P>0.05). The result indicates that the damage of submandibular glands is more severe than that of parotid glands in patients with pSS.