[Measurement by means of 99mTc-pertechnetate of the function of salivary glands before and after stimulation with pilocarpine in cases of sicca-syndrome of the parotidic glands (author's transl)].

Judgement on xerostomia in systemic diseases of the salivary glands and on the sicca-syndrome as a side-effect of radiation therapy or of a treatment with psychopharmaca has been improved by the function test of the parotidic glands for each side individually with 99mTc-pertechnetate, particularly in view of the detection of lateral differences. Measurements of the salivation volume and activity are completive of the function test, yielding knowledge of the total excretory power of all the salivary glands. Functional remainders and reserves can be visualized objectively by additional utilization of the pilocarpine stimulation test (to-day performed with carbachol). The findings will be still more precise if the parotidic salivation is collected and measured for each side separately. This exploration method is appropriate for frequent controls in the course of a disease and for the forming of an opinion upon therapeutic effects of sialagogic agents.