Abstract
The recovery of parotid gland function following radiotherapy for head and neck (H&N) cancer has a significant impact on the quality of life (QOL) of patients, with strong correlations between salivary output and mean radiation dose received by the parotid glands. Salivary gland scintigraphy (SGdS) is a valuable tool for assessing salivary gland functionality. Our case reports demonstrates that parotid glands that were spared during RT undergo a transitional phase of hypofunctionality as observed in SGdS assessments. These findings suggest that even spared parotid glands may experience temporary functional impairment, which could have implications for patient management and expectations for recovery post-treatment. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-025-05401-y.