Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP
<b>Background:</b> <sup>18</sup>F-NaF and <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP are widely used bone imaging tracers, but their comparative uptake in bone versus cartilage is unclear. This study aimed to directly compare these patterns in rats to guide musculoskeletal molecular im...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Qingxiao Li Jianpeng Gao Yiqun Wang Yaoyao Song Liwei Liu Cong Zhang Ming Li Haodan Dang Jiahe Tian |
| author_facet | Qingxiao Li Jianpeng Gao Yiqun Wang Yaoyao Song Liwei Liu Cong Zhang Ming Li Haodan Dang Jiahe Tian |
| author_sort | Qingxiao Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> <sup>18</sup>F-NaF and <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP are widely used bone imaging tracers, but their comparative uptake in bone versus cartilage is unclear. This study aimed to directly compare these patterns in rats to guide musculoskeletal molecular imaging. <b>Methods:</b> Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent in vivo and ex vivo radiotracer studies. Tracer uptake (%ID/g) was quantified in bone and cartilage at 30, 60, or 120 min post-injection (<sup>18</sup>F-NaF or <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP), and across different ages. Additional rats received subcutaneous implants of viable or devitalized bone and cartilage; uptake was assessed using PET/CT, autoradiography, and histology. <b>Results:</b> <sup>18</sup>F-NaF showed faster blood/background clearance and higher target-to-background ratios compared to <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP, especially in weight-bearing joint cartilage. <sup>18</sup>F-NaF uptake in cancellous bone significantly exceeded that of <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP, whereas <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP showed higher uptake in knee cartilage. Age-related analysis showed maximal knee cartilage accumulation in aged rats. Histological and cell inactivation studies confirmed that <sup>18</sup>F-NaF uptake reflects both cellular activity and degree of calcification. <b>Conclusions:</b><sup>18</sup>F-NaF demonstrates distinctive, quantifiable uptake in cartilage, dependent on both cellular activity and calcification, and exhibits favorable imaging characteristics versus <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP for cartilage metabolism. These findings support <sup>18</sup>F-NaF as a promising tool for early diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of bone and joint disorders, and provide pathophysiological insight into the dynamics of the bone–cartilage interface. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9654e557a6d342d4a9bb58cbdfab64ee |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj-art-9654e557a6d342d4a9bb58cbdfab64ee2025-08-20T03:36:02ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-06-01137154010.3390/biomedicines13071540Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDPQingxiao Li0Jianpeng Gao1Yiqun Wang2Yaoyao Song3Liwei Liu4Cong Zhang5Ming Li6Haodan Dang7Jiahe Tian8Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, ChinaOrthopaedic Sports Medicine Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Tsinghua University, Beijing 102218, ChinaSenior Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Fourth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100038, ChinaMedical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, ChinaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, ChinaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, ChinaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China<b>Background:</b> <sup>18</sup>F-NaF and <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP are widely used bone imaging tracers, but their comparative uptake in bone versus cartilage is unclear. This study aimed to directly compare these patterns in rats to guide musculoskeletal molecular imaging. <b>Methods:</b> Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent in vivo and ex vivo radiotracer studies. Tracer uptake (%ID/g) was quantified in bone and cartilage at 30, 60, or 120 min post-injection (<sup>18</sup>F-NaF or <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP), and across different ages. Additional rats received subcutaneous implants of viable or devitalized bone and cartilage; uptake was assessed using PET/CT, autoradiography, and histology. <b>Results:</b> <sup>18</sup>F-NaF showed faster blood/background clearance and higher target-to-background ratios compared to <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP, especially in weight-bearing joint cartilage. <sup>18</sup>F-NaF uptake in cancellous bone significantly exceeded that of <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP, whereas <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP showed higher uptake in knee cartilage. Age-related analysis showed maximal knee cartilage accumulation in aged rats. Histological and cell inactivation studies confirmed that <sup>18</sup>F-NaF uptake reflects both cellular activity and degree of calcification. <b>Conclusions:</b><sup>18</sup>F-NaF demonstrates distinctive, quantifiable uptake in cartilage, dependent on both cellular activity and calcification, and exhibits favorable imaging characteristics versus <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP for cartilage metabolism. These findings support <sup>18</sup>F-NaF as a promising tool for early diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of bone and joint disorders, and provide pathophysiological insight into the dynamics of the bone–cartilage interface.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/7/1540<sup>18</sup>F-NaF<sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDPbone imagingcalcificationmultimodal imagingearly osteoarthritis |
| spellingShingle | Qingxiao Li Jianpeng Gao Yiqun Wang Yaoyao Song Liwei Liu Cong Zhang Ming Li Haodan Dang Jiahe Tian Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP Biomedicines <sup>18</sup>F-NaF <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP bone imaging calcification multimodal imaging early osteoarthritis |
| title | Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP |
| title_full | Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP |
| title_fullStr | Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP |
| title_short | Cartilage-Specific <sup>18</sup>F-NaF Uptake in Rat Models: A Multimodal In Vitro and Ex Vitro Comparative Study with <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP |
| title_sort | cartilage specific sup 18 sup f naf uptake in rat models a multimodal in vitro and ex vitro comparative study with sup 99m sup tc mdp |
| topic | <sup>18</sup>F-NaF <sup>99m</sup>Tc-MDP bone imaging calcification multimodal imaging early osteoarthritis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/7/1540 |
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