High-resolution 19F NMR spectroscopy at 9.4 T was used to study the difference in the metabolite pattern of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) between viable and necrotic tissues of C38 murine colon tumors grown in C57BI/6 mice. Studies were performed on perchloric acid extracts of these tumor fractions after 5-FU treatment. The 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectra exhibited resonances representing 5-FU, the catabolites alpha-fluoro-beta-ureidopropionic acid and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine, as well as several fluoronucleotide anabolites. The absolute concentrations of anabolites and catabolites and the anabolite-to-catabolite ratio were significantly lower in the necrotic fraction than in the viable tumor fraction 50 min after administration of 5-FU, whereas the absolute concentration of 5-FU was the same. Therefore, in 5-FU metabolism studies with NMR spectroscopy, it is important to consider the necrotic contribution to the tumor volume.