Table 3

Diagnostic criteria for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus development conference1

Individual is affected with NF–1 if two or more of the following are met
• Six or more café au lait macules over 5 mm in greatest diameter in prepubertal individuals and over 15 mm in greatest diameter in postpubertal individuals
• Two or more neurofibromas of any type or one plexiform neurofibroma
• Freckling in the axillary or inguinal regions
• Optic glioma
• Two or more Lisch nodules (iris hamartomas)
• A distinctive osseous lesion such as sphenoid dysplasia or thinning of long bone cortex, with or without pseudoarthrosis
• A first degree relative with NF–1 by the above criteria (NIH 1988)