Imaging (scans)

Myeloma can affect your bones, and so it’s important to keep an eye on your bone health, which can be done using a range of different types of imaging or scans. Your treating team will recommend the type of scans they think will be best for you, depending on the location and type of symptoms you have. 

Not all scans are available in every centre, and some are not covered by Medicare. Your treating team will consider all of this when recommending the scan or scans you need. 

Types of scans

Whole-body low-dose CT (WBLDCT) is a modified type of computerised tomography (CT) scan that uses a lower dose of radiation than conventional CT scans and can identify myeloma-related bone changes and bone damage called lytic lesions.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides detailed images of your bones and soft tissue without using radiation and can show the amount and pattern of myeloma in your bone and bone marrow, and sometimes outside the bone. An MRI can also allow your spinal cord to be assessed in special situations.

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) scans involve having a radioactive medicine called fluoro-deoxy-glucose injected into a vein to highlight areas of rapid cell growth such as tumours.