Imaging has become an important staple of diagnosis for all types of diseases. When computerized tomography (CT scan or CAT scan) came about in the mid-1970's, it revolutionized the field of diagnosis. The addition of ultrasound in the late 70's and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, in the late 70's and early 80's, helped the diagnostic process even more.

For TSC, CT, MRI, and ultrasound wiped out Vogt's triad completely and created a whole new view of the disease. One of the best things was that the diagnosis could be made non-invasively, and the ability of a more extensive list of guidelines for diagnosis of TSC was possible. My initial diagnosis, was in fact done with a CAT scan after being rushed to the hospital.

~ CAT Scan:
A CAT scan is created by taking images of planes, or flat sections, of the body. A rotating x-ray sensor is used to create the images, the beam projected from one side and captured by hundreds of receivers on the other. CAT scans are good for finding tumors from TSC, especially calcified ones, as the calcified tubers look slightly like light bones in an x-ray.

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~ Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRI is probably the most powerful imaging device that is in common use today. The clarity and customizability of the machine to the task at hand is astonishing. The machines create a powerful magnetic field to align the hydrogen atoms in your body. The few that do not align are caused to emit energy that secondary magnets cause it to release. Radio frequency signals adjusted to the tissue being examined are passed through these "extra" atoms and create a field which the sensors can pick up. The important part about it is the RF signal, when adjusted for the purpose, can show a difference between a tumor and normal tissue. This helps with softer, non calcified tumors in TSC patients which a CAT scan cannot pick up.

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~ Ultrasound & Sonograms
Testing with ultrasonic waves for medical purposes started around World War II, but did not really come into medical use until the mid 60's. As electronics advanced the images moved from still black and white to grayscale to moving images. The invention of the microchip in the 70's increased the power and usefulness of the machines, allowing sharper images and doppler imaging of movement. For TSC, these devices are quite useful for finding internal symptoms, mostly the tumors on such organs as the heart, liver, bladder, and kidneys.

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6. <http://pathhsw5m54.ucsf.edu/case22/echocardiogram22.html>