Gallium scan

A gallium scan is done to:

• Find the source of an infection that is causing a fever.
• Look for an abscess or certain infections, especially in the bones.
• Check the response to antibiotic treatment.
• Diagnose inflammatory problems such as pulmonary fibrosis or sarcoidosis.
• Find certain types of cancer (such as lymphoma). The scan also may be done to see if cancer has spread (metastasized) to other areas of the body. Or it may check how well a cancer treatment is working.

A gallium scan is usually done by a nuclear medicine technologist. In most cases, a radiologist or nuclear medicine specialist will interpret the scan pictures.

The technologist will clean a site on your arm and then inject a small amount of radioactive tracer. You will need to come back for the scans. Gallium scans are usually done 24 hours (1 day), 48 hours (2 days), and 72 hours (3 days) after the tracer is injected.

When you come in for the scan, you may need to remove your jewelry. You may also need to take off all or most of your clothes. It depends on which area is being examined. You will be given a cloth or paper to cover yourself during the test.

You will lie on your back on a table. A large camera will be close above you. The camera will scan for radiation released by the tracer. It will make pictures of the tracer in your tissues. The camera may move slowly above and around your body. The camera does not produce any radiation, so you are not exposed to more radiation while the scan is being done.

You may be asked to move into different positions so the area of interest can be viewed from other angles. You need to lie very still during each scan to avoid blurring the pictures. You may be asked to hold your breath briefly during some of the scans.

Each scan may take about 60 to 90 minutes.

If you will continue to breastfeed after the test, talk with your doctor about how long to wait to use your milk after the test. Many doctors suggest waiting 4 weeks before you give your breast milk to your baby. This is because the tracer can pass to your baby. Some doctors may advise you to stop breastfeeding completely after this scan.

If you plan to no longer feed your baby your breast milk after the test, stop breastfeeding 2 weeks before the test. The radioactive tracer will not build up in your breast tissue.

Gallium builds up in the large intestine before your body gets rid of it as stool. So you may need to take a laxative the night before the scan. You may also need an enema 1 to 2 hours before the scan. This is to help your doctor more clearly see the areas of your body that are being studied.

The test results are usually ready within 2 days after you had the scans.