Radiosialometry: II. The Diagnostic Accuracy of Different Evaluation Parameters

Abstract

The temporal course of ⁹⁹Tc^mO₄ accumulation in the parotid gland after fast intravenous injection of the radionuclide was measured quantitatively by radio-sialometry in 32 patients suffering from inflammatory or neoplastic diseases of the parotid glands. The diagnostic accuracy of five different evaluation parameters was compared. It was found that without reducing diagnostic accuracy, the method used could be simplified by omitting three of the five evaluation parameters. This implies a shortening of the measuring time from 18 to 10 minutes. The diagnostic accuracy of radiosialometry in 14 cases with a general engagement of the parotid parenchyma (irradiation damage, collagen sialosis and chronic recurrent parotitis) was high. Thus, all these 14 cases had abnormal radiosialometric values. Parotid tumours not causing extensive destruction of the parotid parenchyma were not detected by this method.