PERIPHERAL-NERVE SCHWANNOMA PREOPERATIVELY DIAGNOSED BY SONOGRAPHY - REPORT OF 3 CASES AND DISCUSSION

The preoperative diagnosis of peripheral nerve schwannoma was correctl y made by US in 3 patients referred to US because of upper extremity p alpable mass. The patients complained of no pain and neurological symp toms. except in two cases where there was painful sensation radiating distally during lesion compression. In all cases. sonography demonstra ted a sharply delineated hypoechoic homogenous mass with distal acoust ic enhancement. The lesions were noted to be in a direct continuity wi th the cord-like echogenic structure consistent with a nerve. These fe atures enabled a reliable diagnosis of peripheral nerve tumor, most li kely schwannoma. to be made. Following a surgical excision. the diagno sis of schwannoma was confirmed by histopathology in all cases. (C) 19 97 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.