Significance of functional MR images in prognostic evaluation for treatments as treatment of xerostomia

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The purpose of the present study was evaluating the clinical significance of functional MR images in prognostic evaluation for treatments of xerostomia. As methods, morphological findings and functional parameters were evaluated using functional MR images for treatments of xerostomia. The data based on functional MR images before treatments in patients with improvements of saliva secretion and the sensation of dry mouth after irrigation treatment were compared with data in patients without improvement. As the results, one prameter in the group of patients with improvement after treatment was significantly higher than that in the group of patients without improvement. High correlations were found between one parameter and improvement on the dry mouth sensation after treatment and improvement of salivary flow rate. Moreover, in patients with improvement of saliva flow rate following the treatments, one parameter before treatments was over criteria number. The present study suggests that functional MR images might be useful for the prognostic evaluation of treatments of xerostomia.