Sialography or radiosialography is the radiographic

Radiography

Radiography is the use of X-rays to view a non-uniformly composed material such as the human body. By using the physical properties of the ray an image can be developed which displays areas of different density and composition....

 examination of the salivary gland

Salivary gland

The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands, glands with ducts, that produce saliva. They also secrete amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch into maltose...

s. It usually involves the injection of a small amount of contrast medium

Radiocontrast

Radiocontrast agents are a type of medical contrast medium used to improve the visibility of internal bodily structures in an X-ray based imaging techniques such as computed tomography or radiography...

 into the salivary ducts of a single gland, followed by routine X-ray

X-ray

X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...

projections.

Indications

Since the advent of contrast CT, sialography and ultrasonography are rarely indicated in the investigation of the patient who has parotid disease. Sialography is helpful in suspected cases of ductal stricture, calculi or sialectasia.

Procedure

The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an X-ray technician. It may also be performed by a dental specialist (an oral and maxillofacial radiologist). You may be given a sedative before the procedure.

You will be asked to lie on your back on the X-ray table. An X-ray is taken before the contrast material is injected to ensure that no stones are present to stop the contrast material from entering the ducts. A catheter (a small flexible tube) will be inserted through your mouth and into the duct of the salivary gland. A contrast medium is then injected into the duct so that the duct will show up on the X-ray. X-rays will be taken from a number of positions.

You may be given lemon juice by mouth to help stimulate the production of saliva. Pictures are repeated to examine the drainage of the saliva into the mouth.

Interpretation

This study is interpreted by evaluating the morphology of the salivary ducts for obstructions and chronic inflammation. Suggestions of abscesses and autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren syndrome can also be elicited.
containdications:
sailography contraindicated in patients which have allergy to contrast medium.
it also contraindicated in patients with acute infection , patients with thyroid function tests and also in those in which calculi placed in anterior part of the salivary gland duct