<% strPathPics = Session("strPathPicsL") imgBg = strPathPics + Session("strMedia") %> acoustic4

Schwannoma - Acoustic Neuroma of CN VIII - Case 3

A 56 year-old woman presented with progressive headaches, loss of hearing in the left ear, and falling to the left.

Show the Tumor   Note the Gadolinium Enhancement   Note the Compression of the 4th Ventricle and Brainstem   Note the Growth Along the Nerve

Acoustic Neuroma: (Left) T1-weighted axial MRI; (Middle) T1-weighted with gadolinium axial MRI; (Right) T1-weighted with gadolinium coronal MRI. Note the large nodular mass adjacent to the lower pons on the left. The mass enhances with gadolinium. In addition, note the compression of the middle cerebellar peduncle and 4th ventricle. On excision, this lesion was a schwannoma of the vestibulocochlear nerve.

Schwannomas are histologically benign tumors seen along the course of peripheral nerves, nerve roots, and cranial nerves [especially cranial nerves V (trigeminal) and VIII (vestibulocochlear)]. They may occur in isolation or in association with neurofibromatosis. They arise from the Schwann cells that create the myelin sheath around peripheral nerves. They result in symptoms when they disrupt the function of the nerve from which they arise, or cause mass effect on adjacent structures.


Revised 11/29/06.
Copyrighted 2006. David C Preston