Sialographic Study of Diseases of the Major Salivary Glands

The roentgenographic demonstration of the salivary gland in the living human subject was first performed by ARCELIN in 1913 who successfully revealed a sialolith in Wharton's duct with a bismuth suspension. BARSONY (1925) diagnosed idiopathic dilatation of Stensen's duct in a 70-year-old man with a potassium iodide solution; the patient apparently experienced severe pain and developed transitory facial palsy following the injection. jACOBOVICI et colI. (1926) suggested the term 'sialographie' which has since been widely used to designate the roentgenographic demonstration of the salivary glands and their ducts. CARLSTEN (1926) was the first to use Lipiodol for sialography and demonstrated dilatation of Stensen's duct with this method. In spite of increasing experiences since its inception by ARCELIN, sialography has, as stated by HOLT, always been "a neglected stepchild of roentgen diagnosis". There seem to be two main explanations for the unpopularity of the procedure: (1) underestimation of its importance in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pathologic processes, not only in but also adjacent to the major salivary glands, and (2) the fact that it may cause pain and functional disturbances, as well as