Tuberous sclerosis: CT findings and differential diagnosis

Abstract

The CT findings in a patient with tuberous sclerosis are described with special emphasis upon the differential diagnosis. The presence of multiple bilateral subependymal nodular nonenhancing hyperdense calcified lesions is relatively characteristic of tuberous sclerosis when combined with the appropriate clinical findings. In some cases, cerebral cortical heterotopias are visualized as hypodense nonenhancing sub-ependymal lesions. The finding of a sub-ependymal giant cell astrocytoma is sometimes seen in patients with tuberous sclerosis, and the finding of a subependymal hyperdense enhancing lesion is consistent with this diagnosis.