The Furry Monkey

TERMINOLOGY - G

 

Gallium (Radioisotope) Scan
Radioactive gallium is a chemical that collects in some tumours. A gallium scan may be used when a patient is diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. This scan is performed by injecting a small amount of radioactive gallium into the body. The small amount of chemical used is not harmful. The body is then scanned from several angles to see whether the gallium has collected in a tumour. The gallium moves towards sources of inflammation/infection.

Gamma Camera
A special type of camera that is used in nuclear medicine to produce pictures of inside of the body after an injection of a special pharmaceutical that gives off radiation. The radiation is detected by the camera allowing the doctor to see diseases that may be present.

Gamma Ray
A short wavelength, electromagnetic radiation with a range of wavelengths from 10-9 to 10-12 cm. In PET imaging, two gamma rays are emitted when an electron collides with a positron and annihilation occurs.

Gantry
The portion of the scanner that the patient bed moves through during a scan.

Gastrointestinal
Having to do with the digestive tract, which includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines.

Genes
The basic building blocks of heredity which are present in all cells. The part of DNA that is responsible for determining a person's characteristics and that carries information from old cells to new cells.

Gene Therapy
The use of genes to treat cancer and other diseases.

Genome
The complete genetic information of a species.

Grade
A method of classifying a tumour on the basis of how aggressively it is growing. The speed at which a type of Non-Hodgkin's develops. There are three - low grade, intermediate grade, and high grade. The terms aggressive and indolent are now more commonly used.

Graft-versus-host disease or GVHD
The phenomenon of donor marrow attacking the patient's body. GVHD can be mild, moderate, severe, or fatal.

Granulocytes (GRAN-you-lo-sites)
Types of white blood cells that attack bacteria by engulfing them. Eosinophils, neutrophils, basophils, and mast cells are types of granulocytes. They then destroy the offending object in a process called phagocytosis. Granulocytes then die and are ingested by monocytes. (A granulocyte is also called a neutrophil).

Growth Factors
Occurs naturally in the body, they are complex proteins which control the development of blood cells and their release into the blood stream. Can be used during treatment to increase numbers of particular types of white blood cells and the numbers of stem cells circulating in the blood stream.