Abnormally functioning salivary glands fail to exhibit a normal uptake and secretion pattern. This test does not differentiate between benign and malignant lesions.
A salivary gland scan, also called a parotid gland scan
A normal result of a salivary gland scan shows normal uptake and excretion of the radioactive tracer by the salivary glands. This indicates proper functioning of the salivary glands with no blockages or obstructions.
A salivary gland scan is a nuclear medicine test that examines the uptake and secretion in the salivary glands of a radioactively labeled marker substance. The pattern of uptake and secretion shows if these glands are functioning normally.
Patients can return to normal activities immediately
A salivary gland scan is a safe test. The only risk is to the fetus of a pregnant woman. Women who are pregnant should discuss the risks and benefits of this procedure with their doctor.
The entire process takes about ten minutes for the injection and 30-45 minutes for the scan.
A salivary gland scan is done to help diagnose the cause of dry mouth. It is a test that is done when Sjogren's syndrome, salivary duct obstruction, asymmetric hypertrophy, or growths such as Warthin's tumors are suspected.
An abnormal adrenal scan may show evidence of a tumor where there is excessive secretion of adrenaline or noradrenaline. Over 90% of these tumors are in the abdomen.
An abnormal liver scan may result from a mass. Depending on the radioisotope and technique used, the scan may identify particular types of tumors or certain cancers.
absence of marker material when the lung perfusion scan for the area is normal suggests lung disease
The only people who should not undergo this test are pregnant women.It may be necessary to wait until earlier radiopharmaceuticals have been cleared from the body before undergoing this scan.
In an abnormal technetium heart scan, hot spots reveal damage to the heart. The larger the hot spots, the poorer the patient's prognosis.