Detection ability of FDG-PET/CT comparing with other imaging modalities in multiple myeloma patients

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by bone marrow infiltration with malignant plasma cells. It is important to detect involving bone for diagnosis and management of MM. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic ability and limitation of 18F-FDG-PET/CT (PET/CT) comparing other imaging modalities (separated PET and CT, whole body plain X-ray (XR), bone scintigraphy (BS), and MRI) in MM. Twenty PET/CT scans were performed in 16 patients (M: F=6: 10, median age=59 y). PET/CT findings were compared with available other images (n of CT=21, XR=21, BS=8, and MRI=5). Concordance with more than 2 image modalities, laboratory data, symptom, and biopsies were used for diagnosis of detected lesions. PET/CT revealed 256 of total 287 sites (sensitivity, 89.2%; accuracy, 84.8%). The sensitivity and accuracy of separating PET, CT, and XR were 86.3%, 70.4%; 47.4%, 50.3%; and 72.8%, 72.4%, respectively. Available BS identified 67 of 202 sites (sensitivity, 33.2%; accuracy, 44.0%). MRI detected 20 of 24 sites (sensitivity, 83.3%; accuracy, 36.3%). False positive rate (FP) of PET, XR, and MRI was as high as 87.8%, 95.1%, and 100%. PET for rib lesion identified 9 of 10 patients (90.0%) but for skull lesion only 4 of 7 patients (57.2%) with underestimation. 5 patients in MRI showed diffuse marrow signal change but only 3 had marrow involvement. But PET/CT showed higher accuracy than MRI. PET/CT was the most useful tool for detecting involving bone of MM comparing with other imaging modalities. Moreover, PET/CT is expected to overcome the limitations for the small osteolytic bone lesions with diffuse FDG uptake on PET