Comparison of diagnostic scans for MM

Comparison of Tc-99m sestamibi and F-18 FDG-PET in the assessment of multiple myeloma

BACKGROUND: Tc-99m methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile (MIBI) has been reported to be a useful tracer in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Few articles have reported the potential value of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the evaluation of MM. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic abilities of the MIBI scan and the FDG-PET scan in the evaluation of MM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with MM were included. All patients received a radiological skeletal survey, MIBI scan and FDG-PET scan.

RESULTS: Thirty-four lesions (19 soft tissue lesions and 15 skeletal lesions) plus 5 cases of bone marrow involvement were detected. The conventional skeletal X-ray survey detected 4 soft tissue lesions (21.1%), 12 skeletal lesions (80%), but no bone marrow involvement (0%). The MIBI scan found 4 cases of bone marrow involvement (80%), 13 soft tissue lesions (68.4%) and 12 skeletal lesions (80%). The PET scan detected 5 cases of bone marrow involvement (100%), 17 soft tissue lesions (89.5%) and 14 skeletal lesions (93.3%).

CONCLUSION: Both the MIBI and the FDG-PET scans are useful in the evaluation of patients with MM. However, FDG-PET can detect more lesions than the MIBI scan in patients with MM.

Hung GU, Tsai CC, Tsai SC, Lin WY
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
PMID: 16334169 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]