Does ultrasound elastography have a role as a diagnostic method for Sjögren’s syndrome in the salivary glands? A systematic review

Objective This systematic review was performed to examine the usefulness of salivary gland ultrasound elastography (USE) as a diagnostic tool for Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS). Methods Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science: Science Citation Index) were searched to identify studies using USE to diagnose SjS from database inception to 15 July 2022. The primary outcome was improved diagnostic accuracy for SjS with the use of USE. Risk of bias and applicability concerns were assessed using the GRADE system, which is continuously developed by the GRADE Working Group. Results Among 4550 screened studies, 24 full-text articles describing the applications of USE to diagnose SjS were reviewed. The overall risk of bias was determined to be low for 17 of the 24 articles, medium for 5, and high for 2. Articles comparing patients with SjS and healthy subjects reported high diagnostic accuracy of USE, with most results showed statistically significant differences (parotid glands: 15 of the 16 articles, submandibular glands: 11 of the 14 articles). Conclusions This systematic review suggests that the assessment of salivary glands using USE is a useful diagnostic tool for SjS.