Parotid glands | Submandibular glands | |||
Right | Left | Right | Left | |
Echogenicity | ||||
Normal, (0); Abnormal (fibrosis), 1 | ||||
Homogeneity | ||||
Normal, 0; Abnormal, 1 | ||||
Hyperechoic bands | ||||
None (0), <50% of the parenchyma (1), ≥50% (2) | ||||
Number of hypoechoic/anechoic areas* | ||||
Size of the largest hypoechoic/anechoic area (mm)* | ||||
Location of the hypoechoic/anechoic areas in the gland | ||||
None (0), isolated (<25% of the surface area) (1), localised (25%–50%) (2), scattered (>50%) (3), diffused (4) | ||||
Number of abnormal lymph nodes in the glands* | ||||
Presence of normal lymph nodes at the upper and/or lower poles of the parotid glands: no (0), yes (1) | ||||
Calcifications | ||||
No (0), yes (1) | ||||
Posterior border visible | ||||
No (0), yes (1) | ||||
Diagnosis advice of pSS based on the seven items | ||||
ruled out (0), indeterminate (1), ruled in (2) |
*Quantitative variables were then categorised as follows: number of hypoechoic/anechoic areas: None (0), 1–4 (1), ≥5 (2); size of the largest area: None (0), ≤2 (1), >2 (2); abnormal lymph nodes: No (0), Yes (1).
pSS, primary Sjögren’s syndrome.