18F-FDG PET/CT Findings in a Case of Plasmablastic Myeloma: A Rare Entity

Nivedita Kundu; Aparna Mahalik; Dikhra Khan; Rakesh Kumar

doi:10.1097/RLU.0000000000005857

18F-FDG PET/CT Findings in a Case of Plasmablastic Myeloma: A Rare Entity

Clin Nucl Med. 2025 Apr 7. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000005857. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Nivedita Kundu¹, Aparna Mahalik, Dikhra Khan, Rakesh Kumar

Affiliation

¹ Department of Nuclear Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

PMID: 40197599
DOI: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000005857

Abstract

Plasmablastic myeloma (PBM) is an extremely rare variant of multiple myeloma, having morphologic, clinical, and radiologic overlap with plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL). Thus, distinguishing both becomes vital due to different treatment strategies. Due to limited literature on imaging findings in this rare entity, here we present a unique case of PBM developing in the setting of chronic light chain myeloma, with extensive extramedullary involvement and severe osteopenia, in addition to pleural deposits, pleural effusion, and perinephric fascial deposit. Thus, 18F-FDG PET/CT can be utilized as an important tool in distinguishing PBM and PBL on imaging, assessing disease extent, and identifying critical lesions requiring immediate intervention.

Keywords: functional imaging; multiple myeloma; plasmablastic lymphoma; plasmablastic myeloma.