Angiography in myeloma (plasmacytoma). A correlated angiographic and histologic study.

Angiography was performed in ten cases of myeloma (plasmacytoma), of which nine were solitary on admission. All lesions were hypervascular bone tumors with extension of neoplastic growth into adjacent soft tissue. Contrast uptake of the tumors occurred regularly and usually was non-homogeneous. In nearly all cases irregular tumor vessels and early venous drainage was evident with arteriovenous shunting in three. Pathologic-anatomic correlation demonstrated 'tumor vessels' to be newly formed vascular spaces lacking the normal constituents of vessel walls. The contrast uptake presumably was caused by passage of contrast into the newly formed, slit-like capillary vascular spaces. Angiography usually permitted separation of myeloma from benign, hypervascular bone lesions. The procedure proved to be of particular value in indicating definite malignancy, since myeloma was considered initially as the probable diagnosis in only one of the series. It was not possible, however, to differentiate myeloma from other malignant tumors by plain radiography or angiography. Irreversible renal failure occurred in one patient after angiography.