Late diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex in a 40-year-old female presenting with abdominal pain: a case report

Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023 Feb 7;85(2):203-207. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000000149. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Tuberous sclerosis (TS) is a rare autosomal-dominant neurocutaneous disorder that is characterized by hamartomas affecting a variety of organs, including the brain, heart, kidneys, skin, lungs, and liver. TS can emerge in a wide variety of clinical and phenotypic forms at any age, all with varying degrees of severity, and is brought on by mutations in the tumor suppressor genes TSC1 or TSC2. This case report is about a 40-year-old female with facial angiofibromas and abdominal symptoms who was referred to the radiology department of our hospital for ultrasonography of the abdomen, which revealed echogenic mass lesions/angiomyolipomas in bilateral kidneys. Subsequent contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen revealed large fat-attenuating mass lesions which were confirmed to be angiomyolipomas. Similarly, noncontrast computed tomography of the head showed multiple calcified nodules/tubers in subependymal, subcortical, and cortical locations of the brain. High-resolution computed tomography of the chest showed multiple cystic lesions in bilateral lungs suggestive of lymphangioleiomyomatosis. The aim of this case report is to highlight the late presentation of tuberous sclerosis complex.

Keywords: angiomyolipomas; cortical tubers; facial angiofibromas; lymphangioleiomyomatosis; subependymal tubers; tuberous sclerosis.