[Studies of the lymph drainage of the eye. 4. Drainage of lymphotropic radioactive tracers (99mTc-Microcolloid) after intravitreal injection (author's transl)].

In 7 rabbits the drainage of 99mTc-labelled Micro-colloid from the vitreous body of the eye was studied. In vivo measurements with an Anger-type camera were undertaken as well as in vitro measurements after dissection and excision of tissue-probes. From the data followed that indicator's elimination half-life from the vitreous body was on an average 7.8 hours. The drainage occurred partially along structures which are associated to the optic nerve. Furthermore drainage to the ipsilateral retrobulbar space and to the regional cervical lymph nodes, mainly to the bilateral deep cervical lymph nodes could be observed.