Spinal schwannomas arise from the cells covering the nerves within the spinal canal. In most cases, they remain confined within the intradural extramedullary space, but occasionally they extend into the extradural space resembling abdominal masses. We present a case of very large spinal schwannoma mimicking a renal mass at ultrasound exam. Using contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging we were able to detect and characterize the lesion and consequently assign a preoperative diagnosis later confirmed by the histopathology report. In this paper, we review computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging features of spinal schwannomas and attempt a summary of possible differential diagnoses.
Keywords: MRI; Neuroradiology; Spinal schwannomas; Spinal tumors.