MR EVALUATION OF TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS - INCREASED SENSITIVITY WITH FLUID-ATTENUATED INVERSION-RECOVERY AND RELATION TO SEVERITY OF SEIZURES AND MENTAL-RETARDATION

PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility and possible increased sensitivity of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images for the detection of tubers in patients with tuberous sclerosis, compared with standard T2-weighted images, and to evaluate whether the tubers are correlated with neurologic symptoms. METHOD: We examined the number, size, and lo cation of tubers in five tuberous sclerosis patients using T2-weighted and FLAIR images. Their intelligence quotients, ages at the onset of the first seizure, seizure types, and epileptic severity also were stu died retrospectively. RESULTS: The number of tubers observed ranged fr om 4 to 17 on T2-weighted images, and from 10 to 33 on FLAIR images. A ll the tubers, other than the myelination line on T2-weighted images, were remarkably demonstrated as high-intensity lesions on FLAIR images . No correlation was found between the neurologic outcome and the numb er, size, or location of tubers on FLAIR images. CONCLUSION: FLAIR ima ges were very sensitive for the detection of tubers, especially small subcortical ones, the number, size, and location of which are not rela ted to the neurologic symptoms.