Mri Results Confusing???

My husband is in the process of possibly being diagnosed with MM. The blood test came back negative for M-Spike. His MRI results were as follows: Mild degenerative vertebral body endplate signal changes involving the atnerior inferior margins of the T7 and T8 vertebral bodies and benign hemangioma involving the T5 vertebral body. Small disk bulge at L5/S1. Also a previous CT scan found anterior wedge deformities seen on T8 through T10. Something we should be worried about? The doctor is not interested in running a 24 hour urine test and has referred us to a arthritis doctor. Previous symptoms are severe mid back pain, blood clots, fatigue, swelling of lower extremeties, low lymphocytes and low anion gap. Should we continue with the arthritis doctor or get a 2nd opinion on the MRI results? Thanks for your help. Shawn

the MRI is used to find bone lesions, but diagnosis requires at least one major and one minor criteria. The major criteria for diagnosis include M protien levels, plasmacytoma on biopsy and plasma cells in the bone marrow > 30%. Minor criteria include plasma cells in BM 10-30%, M spike <3.5 for IgG, <2 for IgA, presence of bone lesions and suppressed IG's. Since you know there is no M spike do you know what the bone marrow biopsy showed?

My brother in law has just been diagnosed with MM and Amyloidosis. We have had a lot of trouble with getting his physicians to do the proper tests. His M-spike was negative in a blood test. That was because he was losing all of the proteins in his urine. 24 hour Urine Protein electophoresis with immunofixation was where the monoclonal light chains showed up. The immunofixation is very important when doing this test. He will have a bone marrow bx this next week. His MRI showed hemangiomas also (interesting) since on the CT scan they called it a lytic lesion. The nuclear bone scan will also happen next week to check for multiple lesions. We have really struggled with these Drs. You have to just insist on what you want and may have to be a little aggressive. It will pay off. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I asked the doctor for a 24 urine test and he said lets wait 3 months. We didn't think we could wait 3 months because my husband is in such pain. Finally, our local doctor is sending us to Mayo in Minnesota to see a Dr. Hayman in Sept. However, I am still worried about waiting so long since they have found blood in his urine and he urinates more frequently. I have a feeling that he also has the protein in his urine. Thanks for your reply.