Materials-Methods: The study included 23 pediatric patients with NF-1 and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Presence of Lisch nodule was detected by biomicroscopic examination and recorded. The presence of CF was investigated by near-infrared refl ectance imaging after the pupillary dilation with tropicamide 1%. Diagnostic accuracy of CF was evaluated in patients with NF-1.

Results: There was no signifi cant difference in age and gender distributions between the patient and control groups (p>0.05, for both parameters). The Lisch nodule was detected in 60.8% of patients, while no Lisch nodule was observed in the control group. The CF frequency was found in 82.6% in the patient group whereas in 4.16% incontrols. The CF frequency was signifi cantly higher in patients with Lisch nodule compared to patients without (p<0.001). The sensitivity and specifi city for CF fi nding were 82.6% and 95.8%, respectively.

Conclusion: The present study showed that choroidal abnormalities termed as CF are common in patients with NF-1 and that it would be accepted as a new diagnostic criterion in the following years. However, there is a need for further studies with larger sample size to assess diagnostic accuracy of CD in patients with NF-1. Keywords : Choroidal freckling, Neurofi bromatosis, Near-infrared refl ectance imaging