Gallium Scan

What is the purpose of a gallium scan?
The gallium scan is used to detect infection as well as tumor or cancer tissue in the body.

How is the gallium scan performed?
The procedure begins with the injection of a small amount of radioactive material into the vein of your arm. You will need to return two to three days later for the scan.

When you return for the scan, you will be asked to lie on a special table that allows us to take pictures of your whole body. The camera, which can detect radioactivity, will travel from your head to your toes, recording pictures as it goes. Nothing will touch you. The scanning process will take about 45 minutes. It is very important that you hold still during the scan.

Next, a special set of pictures called SPECT scans are taken. For this set of pictures, the camera will be set up to travel in a circle around your whole body. Sometimes two different sets of SPECT scans—one for the chest and one for the abdomen—are made.

Each set of SPECT scans will take about 45 minutes to complete. You should plan for the test to take about two hours and 30 minutes. Patients are also sometimes asked to return the following day so that additional pictures can be made.

How do I prepare for the gallium scan?
No special preparation is necessary for the gallium scan. You may, in some cases, be asked to take a laxative prior to the scan for better bowel clearance.

How soon will my doctor get the results?
After the procedure is complete, a nuclear medicine physician will study the pictures along with your medical history to make an assessment of what the images show. He will then dictate a report that will be forwarded to your physician within five to seven business days. If your doctor needs the results sooner, he/she may contact the nuclear medicine physician on the day of the exam.

How do I make an appointment?
Your doctor will write an order or prescription for the test. The doctor will either give you the order or have it faxed to the hospital. You may then schedule your appointment by calling the Nuclear Medicine Department at 847-723-5050.

If I still have questions, who should I call?
For more information about the procedure, please call the Nuclear Medicine Department at 847-723-5050.