Skip to main content
. 2008 Sep;77(3):160–163.

Table V.

Frequency and age of onset of major clinical manifestations of neurofibromatosis 1*

Clinical manifestation Frequency (%) Age of onset
Café au lait patches >99 Birth to 12 y
Skin-fold freckling 85 3 y to adolescence
Lisch nodules 90–95 >3 y
Cutaneous neurofibromas >99 >7 y (usually late adolescence)
Plexiform neurofibromas 30 (visible) − 50 (on imaging) Birth to 18 y
Disfiguring facial plexiform neurofibromas 3–5 Birth to 5 y
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour 2–5 (8–13% lifetime risk) 5–75 y
Scoliosis 10 Birth to 18 y
Scoliosis requiring surgery 5 Birth to 18 y
Pseudarthrosis of tibia 2 Birth to 3 y
Renal artery stenosis 2 Lifelong
Phaeochromocytoma 2 >10 y
Severe cognitive impairment (IQ <70) 4–8 Birth
Learning problems 30–60 Birth
Epilepsy 6–7 Lifelong
Optic pathway glioma 15 (only 5% symptomatic) Birth to 7 y (up to 30 y)
Cerebral gliomas 2–3 Lifelong
Sphenoid wing dysplasia <1 Congenital
Aqueduct stenosis 1.5 Lifelong
*

reproduced with permission of the BMJ publishing group Ltd from table 4 of reference 11