Intraosseous Schwannoma of the Femur: A Very Interesting Case

Clinical Cases 20.11.2006
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Section: Musculoskeletal system
Case Type: Clinical Cases
Patient: 35 years, male
Authors: Bozkurt Gulek, Mehmet Sirik, Ercument Dogen
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Details
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AI Report

Clinical History

A 35 year-old man presented with pain in his right thigh. He was sent to our department for a thorough MR examination.

Imaging Findings

A 35 year-old man, complaining of a persistent pain in his right thigh, applied to the orthopedics department, and then was sent to the radiology department for a thorough MR examination. His plain X-rays had not revealed any specific findings. An MR examination was performed with a 0.2T open scanner, and multiple scans were obtained, the T1W images being both before and after contrast administration. The interesting finding was a contrast enhancing lesion of about 22x8x7 mm of size, at the medial aspect of the cortex of the proximal-mid section of the right femur. The lesion had the appearance of a faint hypointense focus at pre-contrast T1W images; and it was hyperintense at the T2W and STIR sequences. The borders of the lesion were sharp; and no suspicious wide transition zones were detected. The lesion was considered most probably as a benign one; and the patient was operated. A widely-excised curettage was performed at the operation; and the pathology result came as schwannoma.

Discussion

Schwannomas are rare benign neurogenic tumors that arise from the Schwan cells of the peripheral nervous system. Their most frequently encountered localizations are the head and neck area. Extracranial schwannomas are most often located in the deep soft tissues. Intraosseous tumor types are rare, the mandible being the most common site. Fewer than 200 cases of intraosseous schwannomas are reported in the literature. These tumors are well-defined lytic lesions, rarely associated with pathologic fractures. The mandible is the most frequently involved bone. Three cases involving the humerus are reported. As long as we know from our literature research, our case might be the first one in which the femoral cortex is affected, and also in which the lesion was detected first and mainly by MRI. A differential diagnostic list might include non-ossifying fibroma, chondroma, and/or chondromyxoid fibroma.

Differential Diagnosis List

Intraosseous Schwannoma of the Femur

Final Diagnosis

Intraosseous Schwannoma of the Femur

Liscense

Figures

This T1W axial precontrast scan demonstrates the lesion as a hypointense discrimination at the medial aspect of the proximal-mid section of the right femoral shaft.

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This T1W axial precontrast scan demonstrates the lesion as a hypointense discrimination at the medial aspect of the proximal-mid section of the right femoral shaft.

After contrast administration, the lesion enhances evidently, on this T1W axial scan.

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After contrast administration, the lesion enhances evidently, on this T1W axial scan.

This T2W axial image demonstrates the lesion as a bright focal spot, evidently discriminated.

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This T2W axial image demonstrates the lesion as a bright focal spot, evidently discriminated.

The STIR sequence maximizes the brightness of the lesion at this axial scan. The other bright spot at the lower side of the bone belongs to a vascular signal.

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The STIR sequence maximizes the brightness of the lesion at this axial scan. The other bright spot at the lower side of the bone belongs to a vascular signal.

This is the contrast-enhanced T1 sagittal cut, demonstrating the lesion with its longer AP craniocaudal axis.

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This is the contrast-enhanced T1 sagittal cut, demonstrating the lesion with its longer AP craniocaudal axis.

This contrast-enhanced coronal T1W scan,too, demonstrates well, the lesion on its longer axis.

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This contrast-enhanced coronal T1W scan,too, demonstrates well, the lesion on its longer axis.