What are the recommended surveillance protocols for patients with Neurofibromatosis to monitor for complications?

Recommended surveillance protocols for patients with Neurofibromatosis to monitor for complications include:

• Regular clinical review to assess for neurological, cognitive, and psychological changes, given the risk of brain tumours and other neurological complications associated with Neurofibromatosis ¹.
• Imaging surveillance such as MRI is preferred over CT scans for brain monitoring, especially in younger patients, to detect tumours or complications early ¹,².
• Assessment and monitoring for late effects of any cranial radiotherapy received, including screening for cataracts, cognitive decline, epilepsy, hearing loss, hypopituitarism, neuropathy, secondary tumours, and stroke-like events ¹.
• Regular endocrine function tests if there is a history of radiotherapy affecting the pituitary gland ¹.
• Referral for ophthalmological assessment if there is risk of visual impairment and audiology assessment if there is risk of hearing loss ¹.
• Monitoring for urinary tract complications if neurogenic bladder dysfunction is present, including symptom awareness and use of urodynamic studies in high-risk patients ³.
• Encouragement of healthy lifestyle measures to reduce stroke risk, including blood pressure, HbA1c, and cholesterol monitoring in those at risk ¹.