Scanning of the major salivary glands by using scintigraphy after radiotherapy

Five patients suffering from cancerous lesions in oral and pharyngeal areas, were studied in this research and in comparing with two normal cases. The major salivary glands were indirectly exposed to irradiation where the patients receiving a radiation therapy which is Cobalt(60). Scintigraphy was performed for both patients and normal cases to visualize the functional capacity and activity of the salivary glands following the high radiation doses. It was found from the results that the dynamic and static scintigrams of the salivary glands which were in the field of irradiation appeared faint in visualization and delayed in perfusion. Also an increase in concentration of the radiotracer 99m Tc-pertechnetate in the gland after physiologic stimulation. This attributed to fibrosis and dysfunction in the glands as a results of the previous irradiation.