To investigate the clinical and CT features of the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) with multiple organ impairment.

Clinical presentation and CT imaging data of 10 clinically confirmed TSC patients with multiple organ impairment were retrospectively analyzed. The position, size, shape and distribution of lesions of these patients were observed.

There were fibrous hemangioma and fibroma in skin in 8 of the 10 patients, with multiple pink and light brown translucent waxy skin rash of 0.3-1.2 cm in diameter on the face, waist, back skin, scattered symmetrically in distribution, 3 of whom with fibroma in periungual fibromas underneath and around the nails of 0.5-3.0 cm in diameter. The sub-ependymal nodular sclerosis was found in 10 patients, and CT showed multiple calcification nodules of 0.3-1.5 cm in diameter on both sides of the ventricles. The renal angiomyolipoma was found in 10 patients, and CT showed multiple circular hybrid density lesions of 0.3-20.0 cm in diameter in bilateral kidneys. There was pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis in 8 patients, with CT showing scattered cystic lucency shadow in double lung, with thin walled, about 0.5-2.0 cm in diameter. The tuberous sclerosis was found in bones in 7 patients, and CT scan showed nodular opacities of 0.3-2.3 cm in diameter in thoracic, lumbar and sacral vertebrae, ribs, the parietal bone and the mandible, with clear boundary and homogeneous density involving symmetrical and irregular density in radix of the posterior arch of the vertebral body. The hepatic angiomyolipoma was found in 3 patients, and CT showed low density mass of 0.5-7.6 cm in diameter in liver, with uneven density. The heart angiomyolipoma was found in 1 patient, and CT showed streaked low density lesions with 2.5 cm×1.2 cm in size and clear boundary in the right atrium and the right ventricular wall.

The CT performance of TSC with multiple system diseases has some certain specificity. The disease can be definitely diagnosed based on CT manifestations and clinical symptoms.

Tuberous sclerosis; Multisystem disease; Tomography, X-ray computed