ROLE OF LACRIMAL SCINTIGRAPHY AND SUBTRACTION MACRODACRYOCYSTOGRAPHY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF EPIPHORA

Fifty-one patients were investigated by subtraction macrodacryocystography (SMDCG, 103 systems) and by lacrimal scintigraphy (LS, 105 systems). It was found that these investigations complemented each other and between them the precise site of obstruction in the lacrimal drainage apparatus could be determined in 80%. The radiation dosage to the lens in SMDCG is significant, and it is therefore recommended that the patients with lacrimal obstruction should: (1) have lacrimal puncta dilated with a probe to No. 1 diameter and be forcibly syringed; (2) have lacrimal scintigraphy performed; (3) if the site of the obstruction is still uncertain, then and only then should SMDCG be performed.