Gallium is a metal with the chemical symbol Ga and atomic number 31. Gallium salts such as gallium citrate and gallium nitrate (with the radioactive isotope 67Ga) are used as radiopharmaceuticals in diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures, for example abscess or inflammation scintigraphy.

A gallium scan uses a small amount of radioactive gallium-67 to show areas of infection and inflammation as well as certain types of cancer.

See also Abscess Scintigraphy and Gallium Scintigraphy.

A gallium scintigraphy uses 67Ga-citrate to diagnose inflammations, abscesses or tumors. Whole body scintigraphy with gallium-67, can be useful in the detection of sites of infection, for grading Hodgkin's and Non Hodgkin's Lymphomas and for monitoring the activity of the disease.

See also Inflammation Scintigraphy and Abscess Scintigraphy.

(Scintillation Camera, Scintillation Gamma Camera, Gamma Scintillation Camera or Anger Gamma Camera) A gamma camera is an imaging device used in nuclear medicine to scan patients who have been injected, inhaled, or ingested with small amounts of radioactive materials emitting gamma rays. The gamma camera records the quantity and distribution of the radionuclide that is attracted to a specific organ or tissue of interest.
The first gamma camera was developed and introduced by Hal O. Anger in 1957/58. The structure hasn't changed by today. A gamma camera consists of:

Through this design the simultaneous registration of gamma ray photons is possible, the computer further allows dynamic imaging.

See also Pinhole, Elution, Center of Rotation, First Pass Scintigraphy, and Anger Hal Oscar.

A gamma quantum is a distinct photon of electromagnetic radiation with the highest energy, shortest wavelength. The energy of a single photon is above 100 keV, the wavelength is below about 10 picometers. Gamma photons are generated by processes within the atomic nuclei.

See also Quantum.