Imaging Tumor Colonization with an Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus Strain (GLV-1h68) in a Melanoma Model by 19F MRI

Thomas Christian Basse-Lsebrink¹, ², Stephanie Weibel², Elisabeth Hofmann², Johanna Langbein², Volker Jrg Friedrich Sturm¹, Thomas Kampf¹, Peter Michael Jakob¹, Aladr Szalay², ³

In recent years, it was shown that oncolytic virus strains such as attenuated vaccinia virus have a promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of cancer. Importantly, the infection of tumors with viral agents often induces massive inflammation within the tumor microenvironment. In the past, ¹⁹F markers have shown their potential for visualizing inflammation in vivo using ¹⁹F MRI. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to monitor in vivo inflammation by employing ¹⁹F 3D MRI in a vaccinia virus treated melanoma model and to compare the spatial ¹⁹F patterns to non-infected controls. Furthermore, ex vivo ¹⁹F MRI and immunohistochemistry were performed to verify in vivo results.