18 F-FDG PET/CT allows the direct measurement of metabolic tumor burden in a variety of different malignancies. The aim of this study was to assess whether metabolic tumor volume (MTV) determined by 18 F-FDG PET/CT could be used in the prediction of progression-free and overall survival in multiple myeloma patients. Methods: Forty-seven patients (18 women, 29 men; mean age 6 SD, 63 6 11 y) with stage IIIA disease who had undergone whole-body 18 F-FDG PET/CT were retrospectively evaluated. Images underwent a 3-dimensional region-of-interest analysis including all focal lesions with a maximum standardized uptake value . 2.5. The MTV of each lesion was calculated using an automated contouring program based on the standardized uptake value and developed with a threshold of 40% of the maximum standardized uptake value. The total MTV of each patient was defined as the sum of metabolic volume of all focal lesions. Patients were treated and then subjected to a mean follow-up period of 24 mo. Results: In the 47 patients studied, MTV range was 1.3-316.3 mL, with a median of 23.7 mL. A direct, significant correlation was found between MTV and the percentage of diffuse infiltration of bone marrow by plasma cells (r 5 0.46, P 5 0.006), whereas hemoglobin levels were inversely correlated with MTV (r 5 20.56, P 5 0.0001). At follow-up, patients who developed progressive disease (n 5 18) showed a significantly higher MTV (74.7 6 19.3 vs. 29.8 6 5.1 mL, P 5 0.009) than patients without progressive disease (n 5 29). Furthermore, patients who died of myeloma (n 5 9) had a significantly higher MTV (123.2 6 30.6 vs. 28.9 6 4.2 mL, P 5 0.0001) than survivors (n 5 38). No differences in age, plasma cell infiltration, M protein, albumin, b2-microglobulin, performance status, International Staging System score, and presence or absence of a bone marrow transplant were found between groups. The MTV cutoff level was determined by receiver-operating-characteristic curve analysis, and the best discriminative value found for predicting progression-free and overall survival was 42.2 and 77.6 mL, respectively. By Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank testing, progression-free and overall survival at follow-up were significantly better in patients showing an MTV lower than the cutoff than in those having an MTV higher than the cutoff (x 2 5 3.9, P 5 0.04, and x 2 5 56.3, P , 0.0001, respectively). Conclusion: The direct measurement of tumor burden obtained by calculating MTV on 18 F-FDG PET/CT images may be used in the prediction of progression-free and overall survival in myeloma patients.

New imaging techniques have been introduced to assess the extent and severity of disease in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The aim of our study was to compare newer imaging modalities-such as 18 F-FDG PET/CT, 99m Tc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile ( 99m Tc-MIBI) scintigraphy, and MRI-to assess their relative contribution in the evaluation of MM patients at diagnosis. Methods: Thirty-three newly diagnosed patients with MM were prospectively studied. Diagnosis and staging were made according to standard criteria. All patients underwent whole-body 18 F-FDG PET/CT, whole-body 99m Tc-MIBI, and MRI of the spine and pelvis within 10 d, and imaging findings were compared. Results: 18 F-FDG PET/CT was positive in 32 patients (16 focal uptake, 3 diffuse uptake, 13 focal and diffuse uptake), 99m Tc-MIBI was positive in 30 patients (6 focal, 11 diffuse, 13 focal and diffuse uptake), and MRI of the spine and pelvis was positive in 27 patients (6 focal, 13 diffuse, 8 focal and diffuse uptake). 18 F-FDG PET/CT showed a total of 196 focal lesions (178 in bones and 18 in soft tissues), of which 121 were in districts other than the spine and pelvis, whereas 99m Tc-MIBI visualized 63 focal lesions (60 in bones and 3 in soft tissues), of which 53 were in districts other than the spine and pelvis. In the spinal and pelvic regions, 18 F-FDG PET/CT detected 75 focal lesions (35 in spine and 40 in pelvis), 99m Tc-MIBI visualized 10 focal lesions (1 in spine and 9 in pelvis), and MRI detected 51 focal lesions (40 in spine and 11 in pelvis). Conclusion: In whole-body analysis, 18 F-FDG PET/ CT performed better than 99m Tc-MIBI in the detection of focal lesions, whereas 99m Tc-MIBI was superior in the visualization of diffuse disease. In the spine and pelvis, MRI was comparable to 18 F-FDG PET/CT and 99m Tc-MIBI in the detection of focal and diffuse disease, respectively. Because myelomatous lesions may often occur out of spinal and pelvic regions, MRI should be reserved to the evaluation of bone marrow involvement of these districts, whereas 18 F-FDG PET/CT can significantly contribute to an accurate whole-body evaluation of MM patients. Finally, whole-body 99m Tc-MIBI, despite its limited capacity in detecting focal lesions, may be an alternative option when a PET facility is not available.

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Inotropic stimulation using dobutamine echocardiography identifies hypoperfused reversibly dysfunctional myocardium. Functional improvement during dobutamine is highly predictive of improvement after revascularization.

Gd- and SPIO-enhanced MRI seem to be the most accurate modality in the identification of liver metastases from colo-rectal carcinoma. PET/CT shows a trend to perform better than the other modalities in the identification of patients with liver metastases.

Prolonged yet ultimately reversible impairment of regional myocardial function may occur in patients after exercise-induced angina in the absence of perfusion abnormalities. These findings indicate that myocardial stunning may ensue after effort angina in patients with severe coronary artery disease.

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