title: Hair whorl as an indicator of a mediastinal plexiform neurofibroma.
abstract: We report a boy with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) who had nonspecific respiratory symptoms and a mediastinal mass. In addition to multiple caté au lait macules and subcutaneous neurofibromas, he had a hair whorl over the spine at the level of a deep mediastinal mass demonstrated by CT scan and MR examination. Thoracoscopy and biopsy of the mass revealed a plexiform neurofibroma. The clinical sign of a hair whorl may assist the clinician in early recognition of a paraspinal plexiform neurofibroma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38105, USA.
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Pivnick
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Lobe
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fitch
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Riccardi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006197:Hair; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology