eMedicine Specialties > Radiology > Brain/Spine

Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Follow-up

Author: Ali Nawaz Khan, MBBS, FRCS, FRCP, FRCR, LRCP, Chairman of Medical Imaging, Professor of Radiology, NGHA, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Coauthor(s): Ian Turnbull, MD, Lecturer, Department of Radiology, University of Manchester; Consulting Neuroradiologist, Hope Hospital, Salford, Manchester and North Manchester Hospital; Sumaira MacDonald, MBChB, PhD, MRCP, FRCR, Lecturer, Sheffield University Medical School; Endovascular Fellow, Sheffield Vascular Institute; Niranjan Desai, MB, BCh, FRCR, Consultant Radiologist, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, North Manchester General Hospital, UK; Noor Bibi, MBBS, DMRD, Head, Department of Radiology, National Institute for Handicapped; Riyadh Al-Okaili, MBBS, Interventional/Therapeutic and Diagnostic Neuro-Radiologist, King Abdulaziz Medical City
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jan 23, 2008

Intervention

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy can be performed in nerve sheath tumors in which the diagnosis is not clear. The excruciating pain triggered by the insertion of the needle is a clue to the diagnosis of nerve tumors.

Medicolegal Pitfalls

Related Medscape topic:
Resource Center Medical Malpractice and Legal Issues

Special Concerns

  • Pregnant patients11
    • Many women experience a rapid increase in the number and size of neurofibromas during pregnancy.
    • Although the course of the pregnancy in most women with NF1 is normal, serious complications can occur.
    • Hypertension may first become symptomatic; or if it is preexisting, it may be greatly exacerbated during pregnancy.
    • Large pelvic or genital neurofibromas can complicate delivery, and cesarean delivery appears to be necessary more often in women with NF1 than in other women.
  • Pediatric patients17,18
    • NIH criteria are often insufficient for the diagnosis of NF1 in young children with multiple café au lait spots, no other NF1 features, and no family history of NF1.
    • Optic gliomas are one of the cardinal features of NF1, and these may be the first manifestation in the absence of other features of NF1.
    • NF1 may be manifested by a hypertensive childhood stroke.
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors acknowledge Dr. Faiq Khan Malik, MBBS, for his contributions to this article.



More on Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Overview: Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Imaging: Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Follow-up: Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Multimedia: Neurofibromatosis Type 1
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

NF, NF1, NF-1, von Recklinghausen disease, von Recklinghausen syndrome, von Recklinghausen's disease, von Recklinghausen's syndrome, elephant man, nerve sheath tumor, neurofibromas

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Ali Nawaz Khan, MBBS, FRCS, FRCP, FRCR, LRCP, Chairman of Medical Imaging, Professor of Radiology, NGHA, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Ali Nawaz Khan, MBBS, FRCS, FRCP, FRCR, LRCP is a member of the following medical societies: American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Radiological Society of North America, Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United States, Royal College of Radiologists, and Royal College of Surgeons of England
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Ian Turnbull, MD, Lecturer, Department of Radiology, University of Manchester; Consulting Neuroradiologist, Hope Hospital, Salford, Manchester and North Manchester Hospital
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Sumaira MacDonald, MBChB, PhD, MRCP, FRCR, Lecturer, Sheffield University Medical School; Endovascular Fellow, Sheffield Vascular Institute
Sumaira MacDonald, MBChB, PhD, MRCP, FRCR is a member of the following medical societies: British Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians, and Royal College of Radiologists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Niranjan Desai, MB, BCh, FRCR, Consultant Radiologist, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, North Manchester General Hospital, UK
Niranjan Desai, MB, BCh, FRCR is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society, Radiological Society of North America, and Royal College of Radiologists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Noor Bibi, MBBS, DMRD, Head, Department of Radiology, National Institute for Handicapped
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Riyadh Al-Okaili, MBBS, Interventional/Therapeutic and Diagnostic Neuro-Radiologist, King Abdulaziz Medical City
Riyadh Al-Okaili, MBBS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Mahesh R Patel, MD, Chief of MRI, Department of Radiology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Mahesh R Patel, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Bernard D Coombs, MB, ChB, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Robert L DeLaPaz, MD, Director, Professor, Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, Columbia University
Robert L DeLaPaz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Robert M Krasny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
Robert M Krasny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

James G Smirniotopoulos, MD, Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and Biomedical Informatics, Chairman, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
James G Smirniotopoulos, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Head and Neck Radiology, American Society of Neuroradiology, American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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