The parents' histories were taken, and physical examinations were performed. The mother was of normal intelligence and had a normal physical examination. He denied having any seizure activity after eight years of age. His appearance was that of a normal male. A CT scan of the father's brain showed subependymal nodules.
Tuberous sclerosis is a complex of hamartomatous changes involving the brain and skin.
Frequently, the disorder also involves the heart, lungs, kidneys and other organs. Cortical tubers, or benign potato-like growths, appear along the gyri and sulci in the brain. Occasionally, a tuber blocks the foramen of Monro and causes hydrocephalus. Subependymal nodules lining the ventricles frequently calcify. The nodules sometimes can be seen on plain-film radiographs, but they are best demonstrated on CT scans.