Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Imaging Study

Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is a cancer predisposition disorder in which most affected individuals develop cancer during their lifetime. The majority of LFS patients carry a mutation in a gene called TP53, whose normal function is to control cell growth and prevent cells with damaged DNA from becoming cancerous. There is currently no way to determine when, where or what type of tumour will develop. This project will use novel techniques utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine how sensitive they are at detecting very small tumors and how specific they are in terms of distinguishing malignant tumors from benign tumors.

Participants will be imaged with the standard MRI technique (STIR-MRI) and also new MRI techniques called "diffusion weighted" or "DW" MRI and Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-MRI. PET-MRI will be indicated if the results from the routine MRI and DW MRI are contradictory or if laboratory results do not correspond to the standard MRI and DW MRI results.

Imaging traits include: signal heterogeneity, mass effect, and neurovascular bundle involvement (recorded on STIR MRI); necrosis, and signal/necrosis ratio (recorded on STIR and DW MRI): FDG metabolic activity and uptake (PET-MRI) or other additional imaging findings. Results will be combined and analyzed for "extraction" of imaging-gene expression phenotypes.

Inclusion Criteria: LFS kindreds who either carry a known TP53 mutation or are obligate mutation carriers Exclusion Criteria: General contraindications for an MRI scan (ferromagnetic prostheses, pacemaker, or other implants incompatible with the magnetic field of the MR scanner), claustrophobia.