A polyfluorinated compound is provided inclusive of at least one 18F atom having a formula:CF3(CF2)nR1 (I)where R1 is —C(O)OR2, —C(O)N(R3)2, C—N(R3)2, —C(NR3)R2, C-QR3, -QR3, —N+(R3)3, X, C1-C30 alkyl, C1-C30 haloalkyl, C1-C30 alkoxyl, or C1-C30 perhaloalkyl; R2 is MZ+, H, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 perhalo alkyl, C6-C30 aryl, C6-C30 perhaloaryl, and a substituted form thereof where one or more protons or halogens is replaced with a plasma solubility enhancing moiety of —N+(R3)3, —SO3H, —SO2N(R3)2, or -QR3; R3 is independently in each occurrence MZ+, —SO3H, —SO2N(R3)2, or -QR3; Q is O or S; MZ+ is a cation that forms a net neutral compound with an anionic (CF3(CF2)nC(O)O−)Z and is an alkali metal cation, an alkali earth cation, a transition metal cation, ammonium, and aluminum cations; Z is an integer value of between 1 and 3 inclusive; X is a fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom; halo denotes a replacement of at least one and not all protons with X; perhalo denotes a replacement of all protons with X; and n is an integer value of between 1 and 30 inclusive.