Effect of mouse strain and diet on feasibility of MRI‐based cell tracking in the liver

PURPOSE: MRI-based cell tracking identifies the location of magnetically labeled cells with hypointense voxels. Here we demonstrate a strain-dependent effect of liver MRI background on the feasibility of MRI-based cell tracking of transplanted cells in the mouse liver. METHODS: FVB mice (GFP-LUC and NOG) and C57BL/6 mice (GFP+ and wild-type) were fed 3 different diets with varying iron content. In vivo T 2 * -weighted images and T 2 * maps of the liver were acquired at different ages. Magnetically labeled cancer cells were injected intrasplenically for hepatic migration; then, mice were imaged by in vivo MRI and bioluminescence imaging. Livers were also imaged ex vivo by magnetic particle imaging. RESULTS: R 2 * increased with age in FVBNOG and FVBGFP-LUC mice that were fed diets sufficient in iron. FVBNOG mice developed a mottled appearance in their livers with age that did not occur in FVBGFP-LUC mice. R 2 * was unchanging with age in C57BL/6GFP mice, and the liver remained bright and homogenous. Labeled cells were not detectable by MRI in some livers despite successful engraftment as shown by bioluminescence imaging and magnetic particle imaging. CONCLUSION: Strain, diet, and age are important considerations for MRI-based cell tracking in the liver. If a model with excessive liver iron must be used, alternative imaging methods such as magnetic particle imaging can be considered.