title: Magnetic resonance appearance of monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance and multiple myeloma. The GRI Study Group.
abstract: METHODS
  A prospective multicenter study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of magnetic resonance imaging, in the differentiation between monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance and multiple myeloma.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although multiple myeloma has been studied extensively with magnetic resonance imaging, to the authors' knowledge, no study has evaluated the clinical interest of magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation between monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance and multiple myeloma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The magnetic resonance examinations of the thoracolumbar spine in 24 patients with newly diagnosed monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance were compared with those performed in 44 patients with newly diagnosed nontreated multiple myeloma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All findings on magnetic resonance examination performed in patients with monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance were normal, whereas findings on 38 (86%) of the 44 magnetic resonance examinations performed in patients with multiple myeloma were abnormal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnetic resonance imaging can be considered as an additional diagnostic tool in differentiating between monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance and multiple myeloma, which may be helpful when routine criteria are not sufficient. An abnormal finding on magnetic resonance examination in a patient with monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance should suggest the diagnosis of multiple myeloma after other causes of marrow signal abnormalities are excluded. Magnetic resonance imaging also may be proposed in the long-term follow-up of monoclonal gammopathies of unknown significance when a new biologic or clinical event suggests the diagnosis of malignant monoclonal gammopathy.
authors.affiliation: Service de Radiologie Ostéo-Articulaire, Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bellaïche
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Laredo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lioté
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Koeger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hamze
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ziza
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pertuiset
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bardin
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tubiana
mesh_terms: D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000473:pathology*; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium