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Abstract #0730

In Vivo Ultra High Field Magnetic Resonance Microimaging to Track the Development of Malignant Melanoma in Zebrafish

A Alia1, S Kabli1, S He2, E S. Jagalska2, A Hurlstone3, H P. Spaink2, H J. M de Groot1

1Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands; 2Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands; 3Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom


Zebrafish cancer models are fast gaining ground in cancer research. Most tumors in zebrafish develop late in life, when fish are no longer transparent, limiting in vivo optical imaging methods. Thus, non-invasive imaging to track tumors in adult zebrafish remains challenging. In this study tumors were visualized in transgenic zebrafish using MRI at 9.4T. Furthermore, live imaging of tumors at ultra-high field (17.6T) revealed significant tumor heterogeneity. This study demonstrating the application of μMRI to detect the locations, invasion status and characteristics of internal melanomas in zebrafish and pave the way for tracking tumor development and real-time assessment of therapeutic effects in zebrafish tumor models.