6-[18F]Fluoro-L-DOPA (FDOPA) cerebral kinetics and metabolism were correlated in normal primates (Macaca nemestrina) and primates with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induced unilateral Parkinsonism. Application of a tracer kinetic model to positron emission tomography (PET) data indicated that the model allows reliable estimation of FDOPA blood brain barrier transport, decarboxylation and release of stored 6-[18F]fluorodopamine (FDA) radioactivity in normal striatum (k4 = 0.005/min, turnover half-time greater than or equal to 2 hr), in agreement with biochemical data. PET scans of MPTP treated monkeys revealed 40-50% reduction in total striatal activity in comparison with pre-MPTP scans. Monkey brain biochemical analysis revealed that the reduction in activity was mainly due to a decrease in FDA and its metabolites, 6[18F]fluorohomovanillic (FHVA) and 6-[18F]fluoro-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (FDOPAC). The remaining activity in tissue was 3-0-methyl-6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA (3-OMFD) of peripheral origin. The (FHVA + FDOPAC)/FDA ratio was 1:2 in normal putamen and greater than or equal to 6:1 in the lesioned putamen, indicative of a dramatic increase in turnover of FDA. Both kinetic and biochemical data indicate that FDOPA labels a slow turnover rate pool of dopamine in rat and primate brain. This turnover rate for stored dopamine (DA) is accelerated with dopaminergic cell losses (e.g., MPTP-induced Parkinsonism).