Sensitivity of whole-body CT and MRI versus projection radiography in the detection of osteolyses in patients with monoclonal plasma cell disease.

PURPOSE: To compare sensitivity of whole-body Computed Tomography (wb-CT) and whole-body Magnetic Resonance Imaging (wb-MRI) with Projection Radiography (PR) regarding each method's ability to detect osteolyses in patients with monoclonal plasma cell disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The bone status of 171 patients was evaluated. All patients presented with multiple myeloma (MM) of all stages, monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) or solitary plasmacytoma. Two groups were formed. Group A consisted of 52 patients (26 females, 26 males) with an average age of 62 years (range, 45-89 years) who received, both, PR and wb-CT as part of their diagnostic work-up. Group B comprised 119 patients (58 females, 61 males) averaging 57 years of age (range, 20-80 years) who received, both, PR and wb-MRI. Two experienced radiologists were blinded regarding the disease status and assessed the number and location of osteolyses in consensus. A distinction was made between axial and extra-axial lesions. RESULTS: In group A, wb-CT revealed osteolyses in 12 patients (23%) that were not detected in PR. CT was superior in detecting lesions in patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis. Compared with PR, wb-CT was significantly more sensitive in detecting osteolyses than PR (p<0.001). This was particularly true for axial lesions. Additionally, CT revealed clinically relevant incidental findings in 33 patients (63%). In group B, wb-MRI revealed lesions in 19 patients (16%) that were not detected in PR. All lesions detected by PR were also detected by wb-MRI and wb-CT. Wb-MRI and wb-CT are each superior to PR in detecting axial lesions. CONCLUSION: Wb-CT can detect 23% more focal lesions than PR, especially in the axial skeleton. Therefore, this imaging method should be preferred over PR in the diagnostic work-up and staging of patients with monoclonal plasma cell disease.

Appearance of monoclonal plasma cell diseases in whole-body magnetic resonance imaging and correlation with parameters of disease activity.

The aim of our study was to assess in which way different infiltration patterns of monoclonal plasma cell diseases in whole-body (wb) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are associated with clinical stages, plasma cell content in bone marrow samples and established serum markers of disease activity. Institutional review board approval was obtained. We performed wb-MRI in 547 consecutive, unselected and untreated patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS, n=138), smoldering myeloma (SMM, n=157) and multiple myeloma (MM, n=252) on two 1.5 T MRI-scanners with body array coils. The studies were evaluated in consensus by two experienced radiologists blinded to the diagnosis. We observed focal lesions in 23.9% (MGUS), 34.4% (SMM) and 81.3% (MM), respectively. A diffuse infiltration pattern was detected in 38.4%, 45.9% and 71%, respectively. The differences between all infiltration patterns were significant (p<0.0001). The presence of focal lesions and the presence of a diffuse bone marrow infiltration was associated with an increased plasma cell percentage in bone marrow samples (median 22% vs. 14%, 26% vs. 10%, both p<0.0001) and monoclonal protein concentration (median 18 g/dl vs. 13 g/dl, p=0.003, 20 g/dl vs. 11 g/dl, p<0.0001). Further categorization of the diffuse infiltration patterns in wb-MRI into "salt-and-pepper," moderate and severe identified significant associations with M-protein (median g/dl for S+P/moderate/severe 23/18/25, p=0.04), plasma cell percentage in the bone marrow (median 25%/24%/40%, p=0.02), and age (median years 67/60/57, p<0.0001). Bone marrow infiltration in wb-MRI is significantly different between the various stages of plasma cell disease and correlates well with established markers of disease activity.

Changes in magnetic resonance imaging before and after autologous stem cell transplantation correlate with response and survival in multiple myeloma.

In multiple myeloma, focal lesions, as well as diffuse and variegated infiltration patterns, can be detected by magnetic resonance imaging. In the current study, we compared treatment response in 100 myeloma patients with changes in infiltration patterns in whole body magnetic resonance imaging before and after autologous stem cell transplantation. We found an agreement between serological response and changes in imaging (P<0.001). In detail, a significant agreement of treatment response was observed for diffuse (P=0.004) as well as for focal (P=0.01) infiltration patterns. The number of focal lesions at second magnetic resonance imaging was of prognostic significance for overall survival (P=0.001). We conclude that treatment response in myeloma goes along with a decrease in imaging findings. We suggest that residual disease after high-dose chemotherapy detected by magnetic resonance imaging increases the risk of relapse. Therefore, myeloma patients with such findings after treatment might benefit from further cytoreduction.