Scintigraphy of the lacrimal ducts

Scintigraphy of the lacrimal pathways is an examination method which informs us on the function of the efferent lacrimal system. The authors made bilateral scintigraphic examinations in 32 patients with obstruction or stenosis of the lacrimal pathways, 22 times they made concurrent contrast examinations of the lacrimal pathways. In seven suprasaccal and 5 saccal obstructions and stenoses they did not find penetration of activity from the conjunctival sac into the lacrimal pathways. In 16 subsaccal obstructions, 12 times penetration of activity into the lacrimal sac was found. In five patients with a partly preserved patency of the lacrimal pathways three times activity was detected in the lacrimal sac and in one instance slow penetration of activity into the nasal cavity. In complete obstructions and severe stenoses scintigraphy does not provide, as compared with conclusions of other examinations (fluorescein tests, irrigation, probing, contrast dacryocystography) new information on the type of obstruction. The method is useful in particular in conditions with a preserved patency of the lacrimal pathways, in examinations of very mild stenoses, intermittent lacrimation and doubtful cases. Scintigraphy of the lacrimal pathways is a supplementary method which must be evaluated in the context with other methods, in particular methods which provide information on the anatomy of the lacrimal system (dacryography).