PINELLAS PARK
6600 66th Street N Ste B
Pinellas Park FL 33781
(727) 544-1001
SERVING OUR PATIENTS
AT TWO LOCATIONS
TAMPA
10010 N Dale Mabry Hwy Ste 160
Tampa FL 33618
(813) 264-7176
ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY
18F NaF PET/CT
BONE SCAN
WHAT IS A 18F NaF PET/CT BONE SCAN?
18F sodium fluoride (NaF) is a highly sensitive bone-seeking PET biomarker used to identify skeletal metastases. In utilization of 18F sodium fluoride (NaF) bone imaging can be used in the same manner and in lieu of Tc-99m MDP or HDP Bone Scans.
Clinical studies now suggest that 18F NaF PET/CT imaging is more conclusive in the management of patient care in bone metastases. 18F NaF has desirable characteristics as a bone imaging agent. High and rapid uptake in the bone with rapid blood clearance produces high bone-to-background ratio in a short time.
PET/CT scanners provide quantitatively accurate, high resolution images with improved sensitivity compared to SPECT or Planar. 18F NaF PET/CT is more sensitive than Radionuclide Bone imaging (RNB) or MDP/HDP with a proven success rate in detecting osseous lesions, osteoblastic and osteolytic metastases.
BEFORE YOUR 18F NaF PET/CT EXAM
You will receive a phone call 1-2 days before your exam to review preparation instructions and address any questions you may have.
After your arrival, you will be escorted to one of our private patient rooms, and a technologist will review your exam with you. We will ask you questions about your medical history and any past exams. You will receive an injection of a small amount of a radiopharmaceutical. This radiopharmaceutical will lose its radioactivity very quickly. In all cases, little or no radioactivity will remain in your body more than a few hours after your exam.
DURING YOUR 18F NaF PET/CT EXAM
You will lie on a comfortable padded table. The table will move slowly through the tube-shaped PET/CT scanner as it acquires the information needed to generate diagnostic images. You will be asked to lie very still during the scan because movement can interfere with the results. During the scan, you might hear a humming noise, but you will not feel anything unusual. You may feel the table move while images are being taken at certain on your body. The technologist
will have you in full view during the exam and will be able to answer any questions you might have.
The PET/CT exam should last between 45 and 60 minutes. Plan to spend approximately 2 1/4 hours with us.
AFTER YOUR 18F NaF PET/CT EXAM
After consulting with the PET/CT technologist, you may leave. Unless you have received special instructions, you will be able to eat and drink immediately. There are no restrictions from driving under normal circumstances.
The radiologist will carefully review the images from your 18F NaF PET/CT exam and send a full report of the findings to your doctor, who will then discuss the findings with you.
18F NaF PET/CT EXAM PREPARATION
No advance preparation is required.
If you feel feverish, please call this to our attention.
Please let us know if you might be pregnant or are currently breast feeding.
Please bring copies of your most recent CT films and reports with you to the exam. They will be returned after the radiologist has reviewed them.