Fluoro‐deoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging for the detection of occult disease in multiple myeloma

Positron emission tomography with 2‐deoxy‐2‐[18]fluoro‐d‐glucose (FDG‐PET) imaging has been extensively used to detect occult metastatic malignant lesions in patients with carcinoma. We describe its use in three patients with multiple myeloma, each representing a particular clinical situation in which this imaging modality offered advantages over plain radiography, computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. FDG‐PET provides a whole body image showing sites of occult disease. This is of particular value in patients with non‐secretory myeloma, solitary plasmacytoma or for those that relapse with focal disease following autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation.