Studies on the lymph drainage of the eye 5. Quantitative registration of the lymph drainage from the subconjunctival space with a radioactive tracer (author's transl)

In 7 rabbits the drainage from the subconjunctival space to the cervical lymph nodes was observed after subconjunctival injection of 99mTc-micro-colloid. Measurements of the activity distribution were made in vivo with an Anger type camera (pho-Gamma-IV Hp, Searle Nuclear Chicago) and in vitro after dissection with a sodium iodine crystal well counter (Clinimat-200, Picker). 6 hours after the injection into the subconjunctival space of the right eye an average of 53.7% of the applied activity had drained off. A significant accumulation of activity could constantly be registrated in the cervical lymph nodes. Its amount was generally up to 2.08% of the applied total activity per animal, with a large individual spreading. In detail, activity was found in all 7 cases in the right superficial cervical lymph node, in 5 cases moreover in the right mandibular lymph node, additionally in 2 animals in the right or left deep cervical lymph node respectively and in one animal as well in the right as in the left deep cervical lymph node. Besides, in all cases high activity was registered in the right retrobulbar and subconjunctival spaces just as in the right eye. A small activity in the right optic nerve could be pointed out in three of our seven cases.