What is Gallium Scan?

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Gallium Scan used for?

The gallium scan test is a nuclear medicine procedure that can assist a physician in diagnosing, evaluating, and determining the extent of bone injury (such as fractures) or certain injuries to tendons, ligaments, joints, muscles, soft tissues (tumors), and organs. A gallium scan can help detect potential causes of certain types of pain not caused by physical injury.

Understanding the test results of the Gallium Scan Test

The gallium scan looks at how long gallium stays in your body. It also shows any tumors (cancer) present in the body. Cancerous cells don't work as well as healthy cells do at taking up gallium, so the gallium is more likely to stay in the body longer.

Why do I need a Gallium Scan?

Look at how long gallium stays in your body. If you get the test done, it can help detect cancerous tumors by seeing if they are using up the gallium in your body faster than healthy cells or not using it as much.

What happens during Gallium Scan?

The technician will inject a small amount of radioactive gallium into your vein. It takes about 20 minutes for the scan to take place. You have to lie very still during the test, so you may be asked not to talk or move your arms and legs. Anyone who needs to get up and move around, such as a patient having chemotherapy or an infection, should take medications before the gallium scan so they will be able to lie still during this test.

How does a gallium scan work?

A gallium scan is an imaging procedure that uses gamma rays to show how well blood is flowing through your liver. It also detects some tumors and inflammations in the liver (hepatitis). Your doctor may order a gallium scan if you have signs or symptoms that suggest a problem with your liver, such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), abdominal pain or swelling in your abdomen, weight loss with no known cause... etc.

How long does gallium last?

Gallium is stored in the body for a relatively short time (hours), so you will need to redo this test several days or weeks apart. Gallium is necessary for making gallbladder stones, so a gallium scan may be done to monitor treatment.

Is gallium rare or common?

Gallium is a metal with an atomic number of 31 and is silvery-white. It can be extracted from the earth but is not very common, especially in its pure form. Gallium's atomic radius is 147 picometers, making it bigger than many metals that are more common. In fact, gallium is not located on the periodic table and derives its place as a metal from its electron makeup.

How common is gallium?

Gallium is a very common element, with an average crustal abundance of approximately 2.8 ppm (parts per million). It is found in trace amounts in zinc ores and iron meteorites, but gallium does not have any commercial uses for it at present.

What does gallium look like?

Gallium looks like a silvery metal. It is soft and ductile and can be drawn into fine wires or filaments. It is a relatively poor conductor of heat and electricity, but it has an extremely low melting point, so it can be used as a solid lubricant.

What are the side effects of gallium?

Side effects of gallium exposure include skin irritation upon contact with large amounts of the element or breathing too much-vaporized gallium into one's lungs. Gallium does not appear to have any serious side effects otherwise. You can see that gallium is very common, but it is not used for anything yet. It has some toxicity if you breathe in too much of the vapor or touch it while hot/molten.

It is important to keep a check on your body's function, and a Gallium-67 scan can help you with it. So, book an appointment or get a free second opinion right away at https://www.yashodahospitals.com/free-second-opinion/.