An efficient method for calculating kinetic parameters in a dual-input single-compartment model

Abstract

Quantitative measurement of hepatic perfusion has the potential to provide important information in the assessment and management of various liver diseases. The utility of hepatic perfusion characterization relies on the resolution of each component of its dual blood supply, i.e. the hepatic artery and portal vein. In this study, a linear equation was derived by integrating the differential equation describing the kinetic behaviour of contrast agent (CA) in a dual-input single-compartment model, from which the kinetic parameters can be easily obtained using the linear least-squares method. The usefulness of this method was investigated using computer simulations, in comparison with the non-linear least-squares (NLSQ) method. This method calculated the kinetic parameters faster than the NLSQ method by a factor of approximately 10, with almost the same accuracy as the NLSQ method. This method will be useful for analysing the kinetic behaviour of CA in the unique liver environment, especially by generating the functional images of kinetic parameters.