Skeletal scintigraphy with technetium diphosphonate in multiple myeloma--a comparison with skeletal x-ray.

Twenty-one patients with multiple myeloma were examined in close time relation with skeletal X-ray survey and bone scanning using technetium diphosphonate. Results indicate that X-ray is superior to bone scan in detecting myelomatous bone lesions. Approximately twice as many lesions were detected by X-ray as by bone scan. An exception to this general finding is the lumbar spine and rib cage, in which the two methods are equally reliable. Thus, a negative bone scan does not exclude the possibility of a myelomatous bone lesion.