A targeted immunoPET scan detected active multiple myeloma that standard PET/CT scans and blood tests missed, a finding that could help doctors more accurately map disease, guide treatment decisions and confirm whether cancer remains after therapy. The phase 2 clinical trial was led by researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Multiple myeloma is a disease that can remain hidden in plain sight. This blood cancer grows in the bone marrow but spreads to many places in the body. Doctors can use advanced imaging and newer blood tests to look for disease, but these tests do not always tell the full story, which can affect everything from diagnosis to treatment decisions.

Now, Sylvester researchers have shown that a targeted imaging approach can detect active myeloma that standard tests miss. The study, published in Radiology, used immunoPET, a new type of labeled antibodies that find and attach directly to myeloma cells.