Demyelination of the brain in tuberous sclerosis: computed tomography evidence

Two patients with tuberous sclerosis are described in whom computed tomography of the head revealed areas of diffuse diminution of density suggestive of demyelination. Computed tomography is a sensitive test for the detection of intracerebral lesions in tuberous sclerosis, and the finding of areas of diminished density in the absence of evidence for tumor or ventricular obstruction correlates with the common histologic finding of diffuse demyelination. Serial studies with computed tomography are likely to determine whether such demyelination precedes the growth of hamartomas and calcification that characterize tuberous sclerosis.