Cerebral metabolism of 6-[18F]fluoro-L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in the primate

• Published in: Journal of neurochemistry Vol. 48; no. 4; p. 1077
• Main Authors: Firnau, G, Sood, S, Chirakal, R, Nahmias, C, Garnett, E S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.04.1987
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - metabolism; Corpus Striatum - metabolism; Dihydroxyphenylalanine - analogs & derivatives; Dihydroxyphenylalanine - metabolism; Dopamine - analogs & derivatives; Dopamine - metabolism; Female; Frontal Lobe - metabolism; Kinetics; Levodopa - metabolism; Macaca mulatta; Male; Occipital Lobe - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-3042
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1987.tb05629.x

The tracers 6-[18F]fluoro-L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA) and L-[14C]DOPA were injected simultaneously into rhesus monkeys, and the time course of their metabolites was measured in the striatum and in the occipital and frontal cortices. In the striatum, 6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA was metabolized to 6-[18F]fluorodopamine, 3,4-dihydroxy-6-[18F]fluorophenylacetic acid, and 6-[18F]fluorohomovanillic acid. The metabolite pattern was qualitatively similar to that of L-[14C]DOPA. 6-[18F]Fluorodopamine was synthesized faster than [14C]dopamine. In the frontal cortex, the major metabolite was also 6-[18F]fluorodopamine or [14C]dopamine. In the occipital cortex, the major metabolite was 3-O-methyl-6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA. On the basis of these data, the images obtained with 6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA and positron emission tomography in humans can now be interpreted in neurochemical terms.