J. Biomedical Science and Engineering, 2015, 8, 90-97 Published Online February 2015 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/jbise http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jbise.2015.82009 How to cite this paper: Hartono, S., Thng, C.H., Chuang, K.H., Hung, H. and Koh, T.S. (2015) Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI of Mouse Liver: A Feasibility Study Using a Dual-Input Two-Compartment Tracer Kinetic Model. J. Biomedical Science and Engineering, 8, 90-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jbise.2015.82009 Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI of Mouse Liver: A Feasibility Study Using a Dual-Input Two-Compartment Tracer Kinetic Model Septian Hartono 1,2* , Choon Hua Thng 2 , Kai Hsiang Chuang 3 , Huynh Hung 4 , Tong San Koh 2 1 School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore City, Singapore 2 Department of Oncologic Imaging, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore City, Singapore 3 Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Singapore City, Singapore 4 Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore City, Singapore Email: * septian.hartono@nccs.com.sg Received 23 December 2014; accepted 6 February 2015; published 13 February 2015 Copyright © 2015 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Abstract Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) has been widely applied to evaluate microcirculatory parameters in clinical settings. However, pre-clinical studies involving DCE-MRI of small animals remain challenging with the requirement for high spatial and temporal resolution for quantitative tracer kinetic analysis. This study illustrates the feasibility of applying a high temporal resolution (2 s) protocol for liver imaging in mice by analyzing the DCE-MRI data- sets of mice liver with a dual-input two-compartment tracer kinetic model. Phantom studies were performed to validate the T 1 estimates derived by the proposed protocol before applying it in mice studies. The DCE-MRI datasets of mice liver were amendable to tracer kinetic analysis using a dual-input two-compartment model. Estimated micro-circulatory parameters were consistent with liver physiology, indicating viability of applying the technique for pre-clinical drug develop- ments. Keywords DCE-MRI, Mouse, Liver Imaging, Preclinical Imaging 1. Introduction Liver cirrhosis constitutes a final common pathway for a myriad of liver diseases including Hepatitis B, C and * Corresponding author.