Ultrasound diagnostics of the submandibular salivary glands in patients with acromegaly

Abstract

Background. Acromegaly causes systemic tissue changes and comorbid conditions involving target organs, including the salivary glands. Ultrasound examination of the submandibular salivary glands (SSG) enables quantitative assessment of linear dimensions and calculated volume. Objective: to compare ultrasound parameters of the SSG in patients with acromegaly and in individuals without acromegaly, and to assess the association between clinical factors and ultrasound morphometry of the SSG within the acromegaly group. Materials and methods. A single-center observational study was conducted. The analysis included 68 participants: 41 patients with acromegaly and 27 controls. On ultrasound, the length, width, and thickness of the right and left SSG were measured. The volume of each gland was calculated using the ellipsoid formula: V = (length × width × thickness) × π/6. The primary parameter was total SSG volume (Vtotal = right gland volume + left gland volume). Data are presented as Me [Q1; Q3]. The Mann – Whitney U test was used for group comparisons. Results. Total SSG volume in patients with acromegaly was significantly higher than in controls: 18.07 [12.80; 23.50] cm³ vs 13.60 [10.95; 14.50] cm³ (p<0.001). Within the acromegaly group, total SSG volume was significantly higher in men than in women (p<0.001). In the presence of hyperprolactinemia, total SSG volume was significantly lower (p=0.0133). Conclusion. According to ultrasound morphometry, total SSG volume is higher in acromegaly than in controls. Within the acromegaly group, SSG parameters differed by sex and hyperprolactinemia status, which should be considered when interpreting the measurements.