Computerized axial tomography in the early diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis.

Tuberous sclerosis is characterized by epilepsy, mental retardation, and adenoma sebaceum. Computerized axial tomography (CAT) is a noninvasive laboratory test that can assist in the diagnosis of this syndrome radiologically. A positive CAT scan is often present before the calcifications are noted on skull x-rays and the pathognomonic cutaneous findings appear. Four cases of tuberous sclerosis are presented with their diagnostic CAT scan findings.