Evaluation of salivary gland function in allergic rhinitis patients by [99mTc] pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy

  • Dr Ozgur Yoruk, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Dr Bedri Seven, Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Dr Erhan Varoglu, Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Dr Harun Ucuncu, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Dr Ali Sahin, Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Dr Arif Ayan, Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Dr Yavuz Sutbeyaz, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Dt Sinan Tozoglu, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    • Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the quantitative parameters of salivary gland functions in patients with allergic rhinitis and healthy volunteers using [99mTc] pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy.

    Methods: Twenty-one patients with allergic rhinitis (7 males and 14 females, mean age 29.8 ± 7.2 years) and nineteen healthy controls (9 males and 10 females, mean age 30.3 ± 7.1 years) were evaluated. Dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy was performed after the intravenous administration of 185 MBq (5 mCi) of [99mTc] pertechnetate for 25 min. Lemon juice was used to stimulate the salivary glands. On the basis of the time–activity curves, the following glandular function parameters were calculated for the parotid and submandibular salivary glands: uptake ratio, maximum accumulation, and ejection fraction.

    Results: For all parameters, lower values of the parotid and submandibular glands were found for patients compared with healthy controls. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups for all parameters for either the parotid or submandibular glands (P>0.05).

    Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there was no significant difference in salivary gland function parameters between patients with allergic rhinitis and healthy controls, and that this condition can easily be evaluated by [99mTc] pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy.