Gallium Scan

**Semantic type:** Diagnostic Procedure

**Definition:** A nuclear imaging procedure in which an isotope of gallium is used as the radiopharmaceutical. Gallium binds to transferrin, leukocyte lactoferrin, bacterial siderophores and inflammatory proteins and thereby can be used to localize foci of infection. It is also taken up by several tumors, thus gallium scintigraphy can be used for the staging of tumors.

**Synonyms:** - gallium scan