Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer For Medicare For Providers For Brokers For Employers Español For Individuals & Families: For Individuals & Families Medical Dental Other Supplemental Explore coverage through work How to Buy Health Insurance Types of Dental Insurance Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment See all topics Shop for Medicare plans Member Guide Find a Doctor Log in to myCigna
Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Gallium Scan

Gallium Scan

Test Overview

A gallium scan is a nuclear medicine test that can check for problem areas in certain tissues in your body.

A radioactive tracer (tracer) called gallium citrate is injected into a vein in your arm. It moves through your bloodstream and into certain tissues. These tissues include your bones, liver, and intestine, and areas that are inflamed or have a buildup of white blood cells. After the tracer builds up in your body, a special camera takes pictures. The pictures show the areas where the amount of tracer is higher than normal. These areas are called hot spots.

It often takes the tracer a few days to build up. So the pictures (scans) are usually taken at 2 days and again at 3 days after you get the tracer. The tracer stays in you until your body gets rids of it through urine or stool (feces).

Why It Is Done

Why It Is Done

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.
How To Prepare

How To Prepare

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.

How It Is Done

How It Is Done

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.

How It Feels

How It Feels

You may feel nothing at all from the needle puncture when the tracer is injected. Or you may feel a brief sting or pinch as the needle goes through the skin. Otherwise, a gallium scan usually causes no pain. You may find it hard to stay still during the scan. Ask for a pillow or blanket to make yourself as comfortable as you can before the scan begins.

Risks

Risks

Allergic reactions to the tracer are rare.

Your injection site may swell or be sore. To get relief, you can apply a moist, warm compress to your arm.

Anytime you're exposed to radiation, there's a small chance of damage to cells or tissue. That's the case even with the low-level radioactive tracer used for this test. But the chance of damage is very low compared with the benefits of the test.

Most of the tracer will leave your body through your urine or stool within a day. So be sure to flush the toilet right after you use it, and wash your hands well with soap and water. The amount of radiation in the tracer is very small. This means it isn't a risk for people to be around you 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.

Results

Results

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

Gallium scan

Normal:

The collection and activity of gallium in the bones, liver, spleen, and large intestine is normal. No areas of unusual amounts of gallium are seen.

Abnormal:

An abnormally high amount of gallium (hot spot) is present in one or more areas of the body. This could mean inflammation, infection, or a tumor.

Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

© 2024 Ignite Healthwise, LLC. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Ignite Healthwise, LLC.

Related Links

Nuclear Medicine Scan Medical Tests: Questions to Ask the Doctor

<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>

Page Footer

I want to...

Get an ID card File a claim View my claims and EOBs Check coverage under my plan See prescription drug list Find an in-network doctor, dentist, or facility Find a form Find 1095-B tax form information View the Cigna Glossary Contact Cigna

Audiences

Individuals and Families Medicare Employers Brokers Providers

Secure Member Sites

myCigna member portal Health Care Provider portal Cigna for Employers Client Resource Portal Cigna for Brokers

The Cigna Group Information

About Cigna Healthcare Company Profile Careers Newsroom Investors Suppliers The Cigna Group Third Party Administrators International Evernorth

 Cigna. All rights reserved.

Privacy Legal Product Disclosures Cigna Company Names Customer Rights Accessibility Non-Discrimination Notice Language Assistance [PDF] Report Fraud Sitemap Cookie Settings

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details