Diagnosis

Because MGUS usually causes no symptoms, it's usually detected by chance during blood tests for other conditions. Afterwards, your doctor may recommend:

• More-detailed blood tests. These can help rule out other causes of elevated protein levels and can check for kidney damage.
• Urine tests. A 24-hour urine collection can help determine if abnormal protein is being released into your urine. It can also assess any resulting kidney damage.
• Imaging tests. If you are experiencing bone pain, your doctor might recommend an MRI or ositron emission tomography (PET) scan. The images can help your doctor find bone abnormalities related to MGUS. Your bone density also might need to be checked.
• Bone marrow test. A hollow needle can remove a portion of your bone marrow from the back of one of your hipbones. Bone marrow analysis is generally done only when you're at risk of developing a more serious disease or if you have unexplained anemia, kidney failure, bone lesions or high calcium levels.