Growing Cyst-Like White Matter Lesions in Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disease with prominent neurocutaneous manifestations. The most common intracranial imaging finding of NF1 on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the high-signal intensity foci without a mass effect or growth in size.

We describe two children with NF1 in whom brain MRI showed growing cystic lesions and adjacent white matter signal abnormalities, which were confirmed as non-neoplastic cystic degeneration and reactive gliosis.

Growing cyst-like white matter lesions can be seen on serial brain MRI in children with NF1. Reactive gliosis with cystic degeneration could be a pathogenic basis of these cystic lesions.