[The mechanism of positive scintigraphy with 99mTc-pertechnetate in adenolymphomas of the parotid grand].

In order to clarify the mechanism of positive scintigraphy with Tc pertechnetate in adenolymphomas of the parotid gland, 10 cases of adenolymphoma were studied morphologically and from a functional view point. Salivary tissue obtained from normal parotid glands were also investigated for comparison with the tumor. In morphological studies, rapid tissue fixation by microwave irradiation produced very good results for examining mitochondria by high resolution light microscopy. A number of mitochondria were found both in the epithelial cells of adenolymphoma and in the striated duct cells of the parotid gland. In functional studies, the one-step method of enzymatic histochemistry was used for detecting Na-K ATPase. Na-K ATPase was found on the baso-lateral side of the epithelial cells of adenolymphoma and the striated duct cells of the parotid gland, and this activity of Na-K ATPase may enhance the accumulation of Tc pertechnetate in these cells. These observations may provide evidence for the bi-cellular theory which indicates that adenolymphoma originated from immature intercalated duct reserve cells.