What is a gallium scan test?
A gallium scan is a test to check for cancer, infection or swelling (inflammation) in the body. It is a form of nuclear medicine examination and employs the radioactive substance gallium.
What are the uses of a gallium scan test?
Using a gallium scan, you can determine the following:
- Hodgkin lymphoma (it is a type of cancer).
- Osteomyelitis infection(bone infection).
- Abscess (collection of pus).
- Inflammatory diseases (for example, pulmonary fibrosis or sarcoidosis).
When a person develops a fever for an unidentified reason, the test is frequently utilized. After the therapy, it routinely searches for any leftover cancer cells.
How is the test administered?
For the Gallium scan test, your vein will get an injection of gallium. Gallium is a radioactive substance. Gallium circulates in the blood and accumulates in bones and certain organs.
Your doctor will advise you to schedule a later appointment for the scan. The scan will happen six to forty-eight hours after the gallium injection.
The length of the test is determined by the condition your doctor is checking for. People have occasionally been scanned more than once.
The scanning table is where you will be lying on your back. Where the gallium has amassed in the body is discovered using a specialized camera.
The 30- to 60-minute scan requires you to remain still.
The injection will cause a strong prick to occur in your skin. For a few minutes, the area can hurt.
Holding motionless throughout the scan is the most difficult aspect. The scan itself causes no discomfort. Before the scan starts, the technician can assist in making you more comfortable.
How to prepare for the test?
The test can be impacted by bowel feces. The night before the exam, you might need to take a laxative. You might also have an enema one to two hours before the exam. You can eat and drink liquids.
A consent form needs to be signed by you. Before the exam, you must remove any jewelry and metal items.
What are the risks of the gallium test?
There is very little risk of radiation exposure. This risk is lower than that associated with CT or X-rays. If at all possible, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young infants should avoid radiation exposure.
Understanding results
Normal Results
Gallium normally collects in bones, the liver, the spleen, the large bowel, and breast tissue.
Abnormal Results
Gallium detected outside normal areas can be a sign of:
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Tumors, including Hodgkin disease or non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Primary pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary embolism
- Respiratory infections, most often Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma of the lung Tumors in the lung
Important information
A gallium scan won't always detect all tumors. The scan could reveal inflammatory lesions, such as recent surgical scars. But they don't always mean you have an infection.
