Intramedullary schwannoma.
OBJECTIVE
To present the imaging findings for two cases of intramedullary schwannoma involving the thoracic cord and the conus medullaris.


METHODS
a 34-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman presented with symptoms of weakness and pain in the lower limbs. Myelography and magnetic resonance imaging as well as other examinations, were performed.


RESULTS
The imaging failed to indicate the correct diagnosis in either patient. However, intramedullary schwannoma was confirmed pathologically in both patients. Subtotal excision resulted in local tumour recurrence at 5 and 3 years, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Intramedullary schwannoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of spinal cord tumours. The importance of accurate diagnosis from frozen sections at surgical biopsy is emphasized .
Duong
H
H
Department of Radiology, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Que.
Tampieri
D
D
Melançon
D
D
Salazar
A
A
Robert
F
F
Alwatban
J
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000473:pathology*; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*