TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of the accuracy of lacrimal scintigraphy based on a prospective analysis of patients' symptomatology
AU - Fard-Esfahani, Armaghan
AU - Gholamrezanezhad, Ali
AU - Mirpour, Sahar
AU - Tari, Ali Sadeghi
AU - Saghari, Mohsen
AU - Beiki, Davood
AU - Sichani, Babak Fallahi
AU - Eftekhari, Mohammad
PY - 2008/7
Y1 - 2008/7
N2 - Background: Dacryoscintigraphy is a noninvasive method frequently used for assessment of the lacrimal drainage system. Sometimes conflicting results with patients' complaints are obtained, which have no clear explanation. In our hypothesis, follow-up of patients evaluated with dacryoscintigraphy could be helpful in determining possible explanations for these conflicting results. Method: Thirty-eight consecutive patients (76 eyes) who had not previously undergone dacryocystorhinostomy or probing were entered in the study. Following instillation of 4 MBq 99mTc-pertechnetate, a routine procedure of dacryoscintigraphy was performed. After a mean follow-up time of 1.2 ± 0.3 years (range 0.9-1.6 years), all patients were reassessed clinically. Results: Using initial patients' symptoms as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV of dacryoscintigraphy were calculated to be 82.1%, 75%, 60%, and 90.1%, respectively. The kappa value as a measure of agreement was 0.52. Considering the follow-up study as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV were calculated as follows, respectively: 96.3%, 90.4%, 96.3%, and 90.4%. The kappa value was 0.86. There were three initially symptom-free eyes with obstructive pattern on the scans, which developed epiphora on the follow-up. In fact, these eyes were initially classified as false positive, but follow-up assessment showed that they were true-positive scans in a subclinical state. Conclusion: Despite certain drawbacks inherent to the technique, dacryoscintigraphy provides valuable independent information and allows more accurate management decisions. In some patients, data obtained from lacrimal scintigraphy could be predictive, and it makes possible determination of subclinical nasolacrimal duct obstructions.
AB - Background: Dacryoscintigraphy is a noninvasive method frequently used for assessment of the lacrimal drainage system. Sometimes conflicting results with patients' complaints are obtained, which have no clear explanation. In our hypothesis, follow-up of patients evaluated with dacryoscintigraphy could be helpful in determining possible explanations for these conflicting results. Method: Thirty-eight consecutive patients (76 eyes) who had not previously undergone dacryocystorhinostomy or probing were entered in the study. Following instillation of 4 MBq 99mTc-pertechnetate, a routine procedure of dacryoscintigraphy was performed. After a mean follow-up time of 1.2 ± 0.3 years (range 0.9-1.6 years), all patients were reassessed clinically. Results: Using initial patients' symptoms as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV of dacryoscintigraphy were calculated to be 82.1%, 75%, 60%, and 90.1%, respectively. The kappa value as a measure of agreement was 0.52. Considering the follow-up study as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV were calculated as follows, respectively: 96.3%, 90.4%, 96.3%, and 90.4%. The kappa value was 0.86. There were three initially symptom-free eyes with obstructive pattern on the scans, which developed epiphora on the follow-up. In fact, these eyes were initially classified as false positive, but follow-up assessment showed that they were true-positive scans in a subclinical state. Conclusion: Despite certain drawbacks inherent to the technique, dacryoscintigraphy provides valuable independent information and allows more accurate management decisions. In some patients, data obtained from lacrimal scintigraphy could be predictive, and it makes possible determination of subclinical nasolacrimal duct obstructions.
KW - Dacryoscintigraphy
KW - Epiphora
KW - Lacrimal
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U2 - 10.1080/01676830802225046
DO - 10.1080/01676830802225046
M3 - Article
C2 - 18716960
AN - SCOPUS:50049135496
SN - 0167-6830
VL - 27
SP - 237
EP - 241
JO - Orbit
JF - Orbit
IS - 4
ER -