Gallium Scan

What is a gallium scan?
Gallium is a radioactive compound which is injected in the vein of your arm. Once injected, gallium is slowly distributed in different organs in the body. Usually, the scan is performed 2-3 days after the injection of gallium. Depending on the information desired by your physician and depending on the findings on the initial scan, additional imaging is sometimes performed on subsequent days.

Why is a gallium scan useful?
Like other applications in nuclear medicine, gallium imaging is based on physiology and its alterations, whereas X-rays, CT scans etc are based on anatomy and its alterations.

Gallium scan is useful in certain disease processes where physiologic but not anatomic alterations occur.

When is a gallium scan useful?
There are various conditions where a gallium scan is useful. These include but are not limited to,

1. In patients with lymphoma, gallium scan is useful in the follow-up of the patients to determine response to therapy.
2. In patients with fever, when physical examination and other diagnostic tests do not help to determine the cause of fever.
3. Sometimes in patients with skin/soft tissue infection, gallium scan is useful to determine if the infection has spread to the bone.
4. In patients with AIDS, gallium scan is frequently used in the diagnostic work-up, such as in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia (PCP).
5. In patients with sarcoidosis, gallium scan is useful to determine the extent of active disease.

How long does it take to perform a gallium scan?
When you first come to the nuclear medicine department you will receive intravenous injection of gallium in the vein of your arm. You will then be asked to come 2-3 days after the injection for the scan. Depending on your clinical condition and information desired by your referring physician, it may take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to perform the gallium scan. You will be provided with an estimate of how long it will take in your case, that way you can plan your day ahead of time.

What are the side effects?
Side effects are rare, and include allergic reactions, skin rash and nausea. If you are pregnant, suspect you may be, or are a nursing mother, please discuss this with your physician before scheduling the test.

What type of preparation is required for a gallium scan?
There is no preparation prior to a gallium scan. If you are taking any medications routinely, you can continue to do so on the day of the gallium scan. Unless you are having another procedure that requires you to avoid food, you can have your regular meals before coming to the department. In some of the patients who may be required to come back for additional imaging after the initial scan is completed, a mild laxative or a fleet enema may be required before returning for the additional imaging so that the gallium is cleared from the bowel loops, thereby providing a better image of your abdomen.