Development of a whole spinal MRI-based tumor burden score method in participants with multiple myeloma: a pilot study of prognostic significance

Motivation: Quantifying the extent of bone marrow infiltration or bone destruction plays a key role in assessing tumor burden and evaluating prognosis. Goal(s): Previous semi-quantitative tumor burden scoring methods had limitations. Approach: We developed a new whole spinal MRI-based tumor burden scoring method in participants with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and to explore its prognostic significance by evaluating its role in predicting the early treatment response and its association with the R-ISS. Results: The tumor burden score was an independent predictor of poor response and the AUC was 0.842. The tumor burden score was higher in R-ISS-III than in R-ISS-I and R-ISS-II. Impact: This study quantified the extent of bone marrow infiltration or bone destruction in multiple myeloma and showed that high tumor burden scores were associated with poor early treatment response and high R-ISS stage.