sodium fluoride (18F)

Sodium fluoride (18F) is a positron-emitting radiopharmaceutical used as a diagnostic imaging agent for Positron Emission Tomography (PET). It is primarily indicated for the detection and localization of areas with abnormally altered osteogenic activity, such as bone metastases from primary cancers (e.g., prostate or breast cancer) and metabolic bone diseases like Paget's disease. The mechanism of action involves the exchange of the radioactive fluoride-18 ion with the hydroxyl groups in the hydroxyapatite crystals of the bone matrix, forming fluorapatite. This uptake is highly sensitive to regional bone blood flow and the rate of bone remodeling (osteoblastic activity), allowing for high-resolution imaging of skeletal pathologies. Developed and manufactured by companies like Synektik, it serves as a superior alternative to traditional technetium-99m-based bone scintigraphy due to its better pharmacokinetic properties and higher image contrast.

Other names

18F-sodium fluorideSodium fluoride (18F)Sodium fluoride F 1818F-NaF[18F]NaFNatrii fluoridum (18F)