Abstract
Summary
Resting parotid flow rate response to irradiation was evaluated in seven patients. The mean for pretreatment flow was 0.045 ml/min (SD = 0.023). Twenty-four hours after the first treatment (225 rads) this mean had decreased to 0.023 ml/ min (SD = 0.022), and after the second treatment the mean was only 0.001 ml/min (SD = 0.002). Six of the seven patients exhibited no flow at all after 450 rads administered over 2 days, and the seventh flowed at a rate of only 0.005 ml/min. There was no detectable resting parotid flow from these patients after this time. These results confirm that the human parotid gland is highly sensitive to irradiation and suggest that virtually all of the oral fluid generated by the irradiated patient, even very early in the course of treatment, originates in glands other than the parotid.
It is a pleasure to acknowledge the professional contribution of Dr. B. R. McCrary, and the technical assistance of Mr. Stephen L. Sorensen, Mr. Charles D. Steward, and Mrs. Bonnie B. Chance.
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