IMAGING TECHNIQUES USED IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder, characterized by bone marrow infiltration with clonal plasma cells; production of monoclonal immunoglobulin (paraprotein); end organ damage; lytic lesions in the bones; renal impairment; hypercalcaemia; and anaemia. Skeleton evaluation in MM is necessary not only for staging purposes but also to detect serious complications such as fractures. Skeletal survey (SKS) is an established first line investigation for this purpose. However, in recent years new imaging techniques such as whole body magnetic resonance imaging (WBMRI) and 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) have been used widely. In this article, we review different imaging techniques used in MM and their impact on patient management