MR imaging of tuberous sclerosis in neonates and young infants.

Abstract

The nodular subependymal and linear parenchymal tuberous sclerosis lesions in infants under 3 months old are hyperintense on T1-weighted images and hypointense on T2-weighted images as opposed to the reverse pattern of signal intensity in older persons. The scarce myelination helps to identify white matter anomalies, which become less visible as myelination progresses. Conversely, purely intracortical tubers are more difficult to diagnose in infants. Because the overall number and conspicuity of all other lesions in our series were greater than in previous series with older subjects, our findings indicate that infant age does not compromise, but facilitates, the correct MR diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis. Therefore, if tuberous sclerosis is clinically suspected within the first 3 months of life, imaging should not be delayed.