Biomaterial Database

Ancient schwannoma of the hand. 2011

Marianna Vlychou, and Zoe H Dailiana

Department of Radiology, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessalia, Larissa, Greece.

Ancient schwannoma is a schwannoma subtype, characterized by extensive degeneration and diffuse hypocellular areas. These changes are believed to occur because it takes a long time for ancient schwannomas to develop. Schwannomas with these degenerative changes can be misdiagnosed as sarcomas or other soft-tissue neoplasms. We present a case of a slowly enlarging ancient schwannoma of the thenar area in a 67-year-old woman. The differential diagnosis included atypical soft tissue sarcomas and tumors of neural origin. The combination of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging findings provided features that narrowed the differential diagnosis, and histology confirmed the presence of an encapsulated schwannoma with extensive myxomatous degeneration and multiple vessel thrombosis. The clinical, radiological, and histological features and the diagnostic approach of this rare entity are described.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008279	Magnetic Resonance Imaging	Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques.	Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D009442	Neurilemmoma	A neoplasm that arises from SCHWANN CELLS of the cranial, peripheral, and autonomic nerves. Clinically, these tumors may present as a cranial neuropathy, abdominal or soft tissue mass, intracranial lesion, or with spinal cord compression. Histologically, these tumors are encapsulated, highly vascular, and composed of a homogenous pattern of biphasic fusiform-shaped cells that may have a palisaded appearance. (From DeVita Jr et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp964-5)	Neurinoma,Schwannoma,Schwannomatosis, Plexiform,Neurilemoma,Neurilemmomas,Neurilemomas,Neurinomas,Plexiform Schwannomatoses,Plexiform Schwannomatosis,Schwannomas
D003287	Contrast Media	Substances used to allow enhanced visualization of tissues.	Radiopaque Media,Contrast Agent,Contrast Agents,Contrast Material,Contrast Materials,Radiocontrast Agent,Radiocontrast Agents,Radiocontrast Media,Agent, Contrast,Agent, Radiocontrast,Agents, Contrast,Agents, Radiocontrast,Material, Contrast,Materials, Contrast,Media, Contrast,Media, Radiocontrast,Media, Radiopaque
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260	Female		Females
D006225	Hand	The distal part of the arm beyond the wrist in humans and primates, that includes the palm, fingers, and thumb.	Hands
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D012983	Soft Tissue Neoplasms	Neoplasms of whatever cell type or origin, occurring in the extraskeletal connective tissue framework of the body including the organs of locomotion and their various component structures, such as nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, etc.	Neoplasm, Soft Tissue,Neoplasms, Soft Tissue,Soft Tissue Neoplasm