Localization of 99m Technetium in the Region of the Nose in Sjögren's Syndrome

Patients with Sjögren's syndrome accumulated abnormal amounts of ^99mtechnetium pertechnetate in the region of the nose during isotopic salivary flow studies. It was concurrently and independently observed that many patients with Sjögren's syndrome had hyposmia and pathological changes in the nasal mucous membranes. Fourteen patients with Sjögren's syndrome were studied for the relationship of the above observations and the nasal accumulation of radionuclide was compared with a control group of 16 subjects. Eleven of 14 patients with Sjögren's syndrome (78%) had nasal accumulation of the radionuclide; 14 had hyposmia and 13 of 14 had chronic inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane. One of 16 controls (6%) localized radionuclide in the nasal region. Results suggest that hyposmia, inflammatory changes in the nasal mucous membrane, and nasal accumulation of ^99mtechnetium pertechnetate are interrelated aspects of Sjögren's syndrome.