Neurofibromatosis, Inc.

Diagnostic Criteria for NF-1

View Diagnostic Criteria for NF-2

Two or more of the following: *

Six or more café-au-lait spots 1.5 cm or larger in post-pubertal individuals, 0.5 cm or larger in pre-pubertal individuals
Two or more neurofibromas of any type or one or more plexiform neurofibroma
Freckling in the axilla or groin
Optic glioma (tumor of the optic pathway)
Two or more Lisch nodules (benign iris hamartomas)
A distinctive bony lesion: dysplasia of the sphenoid bone or dysplasia or thinning of long bone cortex
A first-degree relative with NF1

*Click an underlined symptom to view its illustration (image will appear in a new browser window). Images provided by the Harvard Medical School Center for Neurofibromatosis and Allied Disorders.

Learn more about NF

Genetic Testing for NF1

Effects of NF-1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on the covering of the nerves anywhere in the body at any time. The disorder affects 1 in 3,000 males and females of all races and ethnic groups. The NF-1 gene is located on chromosome 17.

Download a printable PDF of the NF-1 body image