Enliven: Neurology and Neurotechnology

Schwannoma of Lumbar Spine: A Medical Case Study
Author(s): Gohar Mushtaq, Shahzad Khan, Iqbal Hussain, and Mohammad A. Kamal

Schwannomas refer to benign, encapsulated tumors that derive from the nerve sheath. This report presents the case of a 53 year old patient with chronic
back pain which was initially misdiagnosed as unilateral meningoceles but, later on, MRI scan with contrast disclosed the presence of lumbosacral
schwannoma which appeared as solid heterogeneous lesion which would lie within and expand the left neural exit foramen, extending into the
paravertebral soft issues with marked mass effect on the adjacent psoas muscle. Instead of surgically removing the schwannoma, musculoskeletal
imaging guided nerve root injection of corticosteroid was administered to the patient as a palliative treatment. Clinical and radiological features of this
rare and often misdiagnosed medical finding will be accentuated in this case report and treatment strategy will be discussed.