Evaluation of salivary gland function in allergic rhinitis patients by [Tc-99m] pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy

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. Thirty-six patients with allergic rhinitis (14 males and 22 females, mean age 30.6 +/- 5.2 years) and thirty-nine healthy controls (18 males and 21 females, mean age 32.2 +/- 5.6 years) were evaluated. Dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy was performed after intravenous administration of 185 MBq (5 mCi) of [Tc-99m] pertechnetate for 25 minutes. 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. Statistically, all the functional parameters of the parotid and submandibular glands obtained for the allergic rhinitis patients were significantly lower than those of the healthy controls group (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that there was a significant difference in salivary gland function between patients with allergic rhinitis and healthy controls, which can easily be evaluated by [Tc-99m] pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy.