This study was designed to further analyse the histopathologic appearance of the sublingual and labial salivary gland biopsies performed in 50 patients suspected of having Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Three kinds of lesions were evaluated: occurrence of foci (an aggregate of more than 50 lymphocytes), lymphocytic infiltration of the duct walls, and the remaining abnormalities (such as scattered lymphocyte infiltrates, interstitial sclerosis, dilatation and regression of ducts and acini). The occurrence of foci correlates well with SS and even better when there is a lymphocytic infiltration of the ducts within the foci. The remaining changes were not specific for SS.