ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Conventional contrast dacryocystography(C-DCG) has been used mainly for anatomical assessment of the lacrimal drainage apparatus, due to its limited information on the dynamics of the lacrimal system, and thus correlation role in epiphora. The purpose of study was to improve the diagnostic value in epiphora by utilizing RI dacryocystography(RI-DCG) with quantitative criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patient for RI dacryocystography set erect with the head fixed in front of gamma camera fitted with a standard 6 mm pinhole collimater. Both eyes of 85 patients(170 eyes) were scanned with 99rnTc-pertechnetate followed by conventional dacryocystography. The data from gamma camera were recorded simultaneously on a computer system for subsequent quantitative analysis. RESULTS: In 94 of 96 eyes without epiphora, RI-DCG was correlated with normal C-DCG and % of emptying was at least over 50%. In 58 of 74 eyes with epiphora, RI-DCG was correlated with abnormal C-DCG and % of emptying was at most below 50%. In 16 eyes with functional block, quantitative RI-DCG showed abnormal % of emptying. CONCLUSION: Nuclear DCG with quantitation had higher diagnostic yield in functional block and correlated higher with epiphora. Thus nuclear DCG with quantitation would be a valuable functional test after postprocedures such as dacryocystoplasty.