Bone marrow uptake of thallium-201 before and after therapy in multiple myeloma.
We describe a patient with multiple myeloma who was found to have diffuse bone marrow uptake of 201Tl. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the lumbar spine demonstrated abnormal low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and abnormal high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. The bone marrow consisted of 68% plasma cells, and the serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G concentration was 7900 mg/dL. After receiving chemotherapy, the percentage of plasma cells and serum IgG concentration declined and there was a decrease in the bone marrow uptake of 201Tl. However, the MR abnormalities in the lumbar spine showed no change after chemotherapy. This patient illustrates a limitation of the use of MR imaging for evaluation of disease state in patients with multiple myeloma, and demonstrates the potential usefulness of 201Tl imaging in these patients.
Ishibashi
M
M
Department of Radiology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume City, Fukuoka, Japan.
Nonoshita
M
M
Uchida
M
M
Kojima
K
K
Tomita
N
N
Matsumoto
S
S
Tanaka
K
K
Hayabuchi
N
N
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes
D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes