Turkish Neurosurgery 2005 , Vol 15 , Num 3
Extra-axial Subarachnoid Ependymoma Mimicking a PCA Schwannoma
Nebi YILMAZ1, Nejmi KIYMAZ1, Çiğdem MUMCU1, İrfan BAYRAM2
1Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey
2Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey
The presentation, diagnosis, and treatment are described for a patient with an ependymoma involving the left cerebellopontine angle (PCA). A 34-year-old woman had left facial paralysis, hearing loss and headache in 8 months. Computerized tomography (CT) revealed a mass lesion of the left PCA which was enhanced homogeneously. Magnetic resonance imaging also (MRI) showed the mass in the left PCA which was high-intense on T1-weighted images, isoand high-intense on T2-weighted images and homogeneously enhanced by administration of Gd-DTPA. The patient was operated on and the tumor was totally removed. Histopathological examination of the specimen revealed a typical ependymoma. The postoperative course was uneventful with complete resolution of the symptoms on admission. We present here an unusual case of PCA ependymoma located within the PCA and exhibiting no continuity with the ventricular systems. The radiological and clinical features of the tumour mimicked a PCA schwannoma. Keywords : Ependymoma, schwannoma, cerebellopontine angle
Corresponding author : Nebi Yılmaz, bozcayazi68@hotmail.com