Comparison of dacryocystography and lacrimal scintigraphy in the diagnosis of functional nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Abstract

Both investigations are very sensitive at detecting abnormalities in patients with a clinical diagnosis of functional nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Lacrimal drainage scintigraphy is a slightly more sensitive test, but missed an abnormality detected by dacryocystography in two (4%) systems. A combination of the two techniques gives the highest sensitivity with maximum anatomical and physiological information but, in clinical practice, it is reasonable to perform a dacryocystogram initially and proceed to scintigraphy only if contrast radiography is normal.