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. 2015 Mar;67(1):21-7.
doi: 10.1007/s12070-014-0736-0. Epub 2014 Jun 24.

Role of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluation of cerebellopontine angle schwannomas

Kunwarpal Singh  1 , Mohit Preet Singh  1 , Cl Thukral  1 , Kiran Rao  1 , Kulvinder Singh  1 , Amandeep Singh  1
Affiliations

Role of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluation of cerebellopontine angle schwannomas

Kunwarpal Singh et al. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to localize and characterize the MR imaging features of cerebellopontine angle schwannomas and to compare with surgical/histopathological findings. It was a prospective study which included 19 patients, who presented with signs and symptoms s/o any lesion in the CP angle and were referred to the radiology department for MRI. All patients included in the study were subjected to detailed clinical history and physical examination following which MRI was carried out on Philips Gyroscan Achieva 1.5 Tesla unit and the standard protocol consisted of T1WI, T2WI, DWI and FLAIR images in axial, sagittal and coronal planes. Hearing abnormality was the most common presenting complaint in patients with CP angle schwannoma's followed by headache and tinnitus. Vestibulocochlear nerve was the most commonly involved nerve in patients with these lesions followed by involvement of trigeminal nerve. MRI was erroneous in giving provisional diagnosis of schwannoma in one case, which on subsequent surgery and histopathology was found to be a meningioma. The sensitivity of MRI for correctly diagnosing vestibular schwannoma was 100 % and specificity was 92.86 % with a positive predictive value of 94.12 % and accuracy of 96.67 %. MRI is considered as an excellent noninvasive investigation for CP angle schwannoma's. It can identify the site and extension of the lesions as well as the characteristic signal. Apart from diagnosing, MR imaging plays an important role in stratifying patients into appropriate treatment options.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Schwannoma; Vestibulocochlear nerve.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Axial T2W image a shows a hyperintense mass lesion (arrow) in left CP angle cistern extending into left IAC and axial T1W post contrast image b shows marked enhancement of the CP angle lesion
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Axial T2W image a shows a large, lobulated, well-defined mass in the left CP angle cistern (arrow) appearing hyperintense. It is crossing the midline in the prepontine cistern towards the right side. There is no extension into either of the internal auditory canals. There is marked compression of the brainstem, cerebellum and left thalamus with severe obstruction of the cerebral aqueduct and posterior third ventricle. Post contrast T1W axial image b shows diffuse inhomogeneous enhancement of the lesion
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Axial T2W image (a) and FLAIR image (b) shows a hyperintense well defined rounded lesion in the right CP angle cistern (arrow), adjacent to the right IAC. Post contrast T1W axial image (c) shows marked homogenous enhancement of the lesion
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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