title: Association between the growth rate of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma and age in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The most common neurological complications associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) include intractable seizures that begin in infancy and subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) complicated by hydrocephalus with increasing age. Information on SEGA growth of TSC patients is limited. This study aimed to examine the TSC-SEGA growth rates by periodic neuroimaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study evaluated the TSC-SEGA growth rates by serial neuroimaging. Fifty-eight patients with TSC underwent systematic evaluation, including a review of medical history and serial brain neuroimaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While magnetic resonance imaging was more sensitive in detecting cortical tubers than computed tomography (73.1 vs. 0 %, p < 0.001), its efficacy in identifying intracranial lesions was comparable to that of computed tomography (96.2 vs. 100 %, p = 0.658). Significant tumor growth was observed in children (p = 0.012) and adults (p = 0.028) during follow-up periods, respectively (median for children 23.5 months, interquartile range 18-40 months and median for adults 23 months, interquartile range 12-34 months). Further, the SEGA growth rate in children was significantly higher than that in adults (75.6 vs. 16.5 %, p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study show that SEGA has a significantly higher growth rate in children using serial follow-up brain imaging, suggesting the importance of performing follow-up neuroimaging at yearly intervals in childhood to identify and prevent potential comorbidities.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.|Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jeng-Dau
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chang-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Imaging, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Teng-Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.|Department of Dermatology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sheng-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.|Department of Pharmacy, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Min-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan. cshy098@csh.org.tw.|Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan. cshy098@csh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Ji-Nan
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Sheu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000470:Alkaloids; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014402:Tuberous Sclerosis / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; C110131:Wilcox compound
keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroimaging; Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma; Tuberous sclerosis complex