For decades, conventional skeletal survey (CSS) has been the standard imaging technique for multiple myeloma (MM). However, recently whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) has been implemented into the diagnostic criteria of MM. This analysis compares sensitivity and prognostic significance of WBCT and CSS in patients with smoldering MM (SMM) and MM. Fifty-four of 212 patients (25.5%) had a negative CSS and a positive WBCT for osteolytic lesions (P<0.0001). Of 66 patients with SMM based on CSS, 12 (22.2%) had osteolytic lesions on WBCT. In comparison, WBCT failed to detect some bone destructions in the appendicular skeleton possibly due to limitations of the field of view. Presence of lytic bone lesions in WBCT was of borderline prognostic significance (P=0.051) for SMM patients, with a median time to progression of 38 versus 82 months for those without bone destructions. In conclusion, WBCT identifies significantly more sites of bone destruction than CSS. More than 20% of patients with SMM according to CSS have in fact active MM detectable with WBCT. On the basis of this and other studies, WBCT (either computed tomography (CT) alone or as part of a positron emission tomography-CT protocol) should be considered the current standard for the detection of osteolytic lesions in MM.

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Background In 2014, the diagnostic criteria for multiple myeloma were updated, leading to revised recommendations for imaging modalities and definition of therapy response. This review provides an overview of the current definitions of monoclonal plasma cell disease, diagnostic options, and changes relevant to radiologists. Method A pubmed search regarding the multiple myeloma guidelines was conducted, and results were filtered considering publications of international associations and expert reviews. Recommendations by the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN, USA), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and the European Myeloma Network are acknowledged. Results and Conclusion Conventional skeletal survey is to be replaced by cross-sectional imaging techniques. For initial diagnostics of bone lesions or bone marrow involvement defining multiple myeloma, whole-body low-dose CT and whole-body MRI are recommended. Two or more focal bone marrow lesions suspicious for myeloma on MRI will now define symptomatic disease even in the case of intact mineralized bone. Follow-up imaging is not clearly specified so far. New guidelines concerning the definitions of minimal residual disease include the assessment of focal lesions before and after treatment using 18F-FDG-PET/CT, with the potential to redefine the role of PET/CT in the diagnostics of multiple myeloma. Key points:  Citation Format

New techniques in DWI, such as intravoxel incoherent motion imaging, diffusion kurtosis imaging and histogram-based analyses represent promising approaches to achieve a more quantitative evaluation for tumor detection and therapy response.