Schwannoma
Schwannomas are benign tumors that are typically round, well-demarcated, and encapsulated, composed of Schwann cells; the tumors can grow anywhere throughout the nervous system that contains Schwann cells.
The absence of the protein NF2/Merlin causes an uninterrupted cell proliferation cascade originating from an abnormal interaction between an extracellular mucopolysaccharide, hyaluronan (HA), and schwann cell surface CD44 receptor, which has been identified as one of the central causative factors for schwannoma 1).
It has been described that a schwannoma may display variable degenerative changes such as fibrosis, cytological atypia, calcification, hemorrhage, or cystic formations 2).
Cystic degenerations occurring in schwannomas are found in schwannomas of the orbital region, olfactory groove, tentorial hiatus, posterior cavernous sinus, presacral region, maxillary sinus, intramedullary spinal region, or intraventicular region 3).
Classification
Epidemiology
Schwannomas, also known as the nerve sheath tumors, neurinomas or neurilemmomas, are the most common type of intraspinal tumors, which are frequently observed in the cervical and lumbar regions
Diagnosis
Differential Diagnosis
Schwannoma vs. neurofibroma. While similar in many ways, these tumors differ histologically. Schwannomas (née: neurilemmomas) arise from Schwann cells, which produce myelin. Neurofibromas consist of neurites (axons or dendrites of immature or developing neurons), Schwann’s cells, and fibroblasts within a collagenous or myxoid matrix. In contrast to schwannomas which displace axons