[Current status of serial sialography and sialoscintigraphy in the diagnosis of salivary gland diseases].

Sialographic investigation of enlarged salivary glands contribute to the important decision whether a secretion blockage is caused by a stone, chronic inflammation, sialoadenosis, or a tumour. The results of sialographic investigations have been much improved by the method described by Brands and Schnepper (1967) of specific serial sialography using a single-shot and fast-repeating camera, under fluoroscopic control. The success rate of the sialographic diagnosis on 141 patients in the ENT Department of Saarland University Hospital was 80%. The fact that in four cases spaces, occupying lesions were falsely interpreted or undetected leads to the conclusion that where a tumour is suspected negative sialography should be followed by further diagnostic steps. Scintigraphy of the salivary glands with 4 mCi 99mTechnetium Pertechnetate produces extra information which clearly increases diagnostic accuracy. However, experience to date shows that it is not an alternative to serial sialography but rather a supporting diagnostic method.