The Diagnostic Value of Technetium 99m Pertechnetate Salivary Gland Scintigraphy in Patients With Certain Salivary Gland Diseases

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic value of technetium 99m pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy in patients with certain salivary gland diseases. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 47 patients: 25 with chronic obstructive parotitis, 12 with sialolithiasis, and 10 with Sjogren syndrome. All of the patients underwent preoperative Tc-99m-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy. Patients with chronic obstructive parotitis also underwent ultrasonography, sialography, and sialoendoscopy; patients with sialolithiasis also underwent ultrasonography and computed tomography; and patients with Sjogren syndrome also underwent ultrasonography and sialography. We made comparisons between Tc-99m-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy and the other aforementioned diagnostic tests to investigate the role of Tc-99m-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy in diseases of the salivary glands. Results: In patients with chronic obstructive parotitis, Tc-99m-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy showed reduced excretion by the affected glands, whereas uptake was nearly normal. Among patients with sialolithiasis, Tc-99m-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy showed reduced excretion by the affected glands and decreased uptake in 5 patients. In patients with Sjogren syndrome, Tc-99m-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy showed a decrease in both excretion and uptake by the 4 glands. Conclusions: Technetium 99m pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy played a substantial role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of salivary gland diseases. (C) 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons