[A case of a retroperitoneal schwannoma presenting as hypermetabolic mass in PET-CT]

Korean J Gastroenterol. 2011 May 25;57(5):323-6. doi: 10.4166/kjg.2011.57.5.323.
[Article in Korean]

Abstract

Schwannoma is a benign neoplasm of the Schwann cells of the neural sheath. Most schwannomas occur in the head and neck, and extremities and rarely in the retroperitoneal space. The differentiation of a schwannoma from other malignant tumor or benign tumor is very difficult on a preoperative examination with ultrasonography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, the lesion with increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in PET-CT cannot exclude malignant tumor. Therefore, this lesion needs surgical excision and a histological examination with immunohistochemical staining. We report a case of schwannoma occuring in the retroperitoneal space that incidentally discovered by PET-CT for health-check up. Pathologic confirmation by laparoscopic excision was done.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neurilemmoma / diagnosis*
  • Neurilemmoma / pathology
  • Neurilemmoma / surgery
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18