Liver gallium scan; Bony gallium scan

Gallium normally collects in bones, the liver, spleen, the large bowel, and breast tissue.

Gallium detected outside normal areas can be a sign of:

• Infection
• Inflammation
• Tumors, including Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Lung conditions for which this test may be performed:

• Primary pulmonary hypertension
• Pulmonary embolus
• Respiratory infections, most often pneumocystitis jirovecii pneumonia
• Sarcoidosis
• Scleroderma of the lung
• Tumors in the lung

Images

Gallium injection

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Gallium scan Overview

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Gallium scan Risks

Review Date: 11/21/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)