The Development and Pilot Testing of a New MR Imaging Protocol to Quantify Myeloma Disease Burden and Bone Loss

Using the expertise of the Oxford Centre For Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research (OCMR) for imaging protocol development, and the new Fine Structural Analysis (FSA, Osteotronix Ltd, formerly Acuitas Medical) bone density quantification MRI method (Rafferty et al 2016), we will test a single protocol which combines three emerging experimental imaging sequences into a simple, non-invasive whole body imaging protocol to quantify disease burden and bone disease. To our knowledge, this has never been done before; if shown to be feasible, such a method would have two important applications: to precisely guide commissioned therapies in the clinic, so improving patient management; and as an exciting, novel research tool for the longitudinal combined assessment of tumour burden and cancer-induced bone disease in response to therapy.

Used to assess bone density

Samples will be taken to assess bone biomarkers