Presentation
Back pain
Patient Data
Behind L5 a circumscribed enhancing intra-thecal lesion is present with cystic change. It is of high T2 signal. No obvious flow voids or hemorrhage.
Case Discussion
The patient went on to have a resection.
Histology
MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION: The sections show a moderately cellular schwannoma. It contains Antoni A areas with fascicles of spindle cells with palisading. Verocay bodies are present. Antoni B areas with microcystic change are also seen. Entrapped ependymal canals are identified. The tumor cells show no significant nuclear pleomorphism. Mitoses are inconspicuous. Thick-walled blood vessels and hemosiderin deposits are seen in the background. There is no evidence of necrosis. No evidence of malignancy is identified. The tumor cells are S-100 positive. They are EMA and GFAP negative.
DIAGNOSIS: spinal schwannoma.