Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a common haematological condition primarily affecting older people, with a median age at diagnosis of about 65-70 years and a slight prevalence in male gender and in African-Americans. An abnormal plasma cell growth within the bone marrow accounts for this condition, leading to interference with normal haemopoiesis and excessive production of abnormal monoclonal antibodies (paraprotein). The activation of osteoclasts in the surrounding bone tissue exposes to the risk of pathological fractures and hypercalcemia.
Molecular imaging modalities such as fluorine-18- fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) or positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) have emerged recently as reliable methods in the initial staging and treatment planning of patients with MM. FDG is a glucose analogue which accumulates into cells in proportion with their glycolytic activity: therefore, high-metabolism neoplastic cells show an increased FDG uptake in comparison with normal surrounding tissue. Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) is a semi-quantitative estimate of glycolytic activity in neoplastic lesions.
Giorgio Treglia, Treatment Response Monitoring in Patients with Multiple Myeloma: The Role of Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography using Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose
Last date updated on September, 2024
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