¹⁸F-NaF

¹⁸F-NaF (Radio-Flu) is a radioactive diagnostic agent for positron emission tomography (PET) indicated for imaging of bone to define areas of altered osteogenic activity. 

Because of its binding to bone mineral, ¹⁸F (sodium fluoride) is taken up 3-10 times more in bone regions affected by malignant processes with resulting osteoblastic activity or osteolytic defects than in unaffected adjacent bone. Non-cancerous traumatic, erosive or inflammatory lesions of bone structure are also associated with increased osteogenesis. Sodium fluoride (¹⁸F) is therefore a marker of the reactive bone processes of cancerous or traumatic conditions. It also detects nonmalignant regions of physiologically or pathologically increased bone metabolism.